14 Jun 1998: A portrait of Bobby Bonilla #25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a game against the Colorado Rockies at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /Allsport | Getty Images
Most baseball fans know that July 1 is colloquially known as Bobby Bonilla Day. In 2000, the New York Mets decided to defer the remaining $5.9 million left on Bonilla’s contract after they released him for batting .160.
Bonilla’s agent used that dismal batting average to his client’s advantage, knowing the team just wanted him gone. He got the team to defer the remaining money for 10 years, but then got 8% interest and those payment spread out over the next 25 years.
As such, the Mets now pay Bonilla $1,193,248.20 every July 1.
Before he was on the Mets, however, Bonilla was on the Dodgers, a part of one of the most shocking trades in Dodgers history. Bonilla and Gary Sheffield and three other players were traded to the Dodgers from the Florida Marlins for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile.
The Dodgers traded Bonilla to the Mets, and that deferred payment idea ended up coming around to benefit the Dodgers 24 years later. In addition to Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers have eight players with deferred payments.
The Mets used that deferred $5.9 million to get Mike Hampton, a starting pitcher who helped them win the 2000 World Series. All of the players on the Dodgers payroll have helped them win World Series, aside from Edwin Diaz who remains to be seen. A running joke that has turned into a viable way to field a championship winning team.
Steve Henson of the L.A. Times has more details and quotes here.
In case you missed it, a fan at the Dodgers game against the A’s on Tuesday night got super excited about Team Mexico scoring a goal in their World Cup game against Ecuador. Justin Wrobleski’s pitch went into the dirt right after the fan yelled, but he then struck out the batter on the next pitch. Mexico went on to win and will play their next game on Sunday.
In an overview of this batch of transactions, the Maple Leafs have sent a message to the rest of the league about looking to be competitive next season. But more importantly, they've addressed some key areas of the roster, bolstered their forward depth, and practically reshaped the entire bottom six.
"Well, certainly a player of Sergei Bobrovsky's caliber, I think, sends a message that we're serious about moving this team ahead and getting back on track and trying to take it to another level," Chayka said in his media availability on Wednesday. But I'd say everyone from him to the depth signings that bring us a lot of different elements and are allowing our players to be put in different positions where they can have their talents come out in the best way possible."
While the overall roster has seemingly improved on paper, Chayka has been able to address a couple of areas that needed some tweaks.
After the departures of players such as Scott Laughton, Nicolas Roy and even Bobby McMann this past season, Toronto lost some individuals who were excellent penalty killers and defensively strong.
Those abilities were recouped in Wednesday's activity, with Sissons, Blueger and Duhaime all being great suitors for a penalty-killing role, or even to take a D-zone start over Auston Matthews to allow him to focus on the offensive side of the game.
"It's a full picture, and so, we needed to get better in terms of the defensive side of the game," Chayka said. "We need to address our penalty killing, and we need to bring some more speed to the lineup. And I think if you look at the full picture, we're a much more dynamic team today than we were 24 hours ago."
When Chayka mentions speed, he's likely referring to Duhaime, who is a well-above-average skater in terms of his speed.
The 29-year-old left winger finished the past season in the 91st percentile in speed bursts at 22-plus mph, executing 11. The average NHL skater recorded 3.8. Duhaime also reached the 92nd percentile in max skating speed, clocking at 23.3 mph in a game from late March, according to NHL Edge.
In the theme of penalty killing, Duhaime can also do a job in that aspect, averaging 1:07 of shorthanded ice time in 2025-26 with the Washington Capitals.
The new-look bottom-six forward group that Chayka has introduced brings more tools and will have a lot more responsibility than the way the Leafs ended this past campaign.
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LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 13: An overall view of the Emirates Cup logo before the game between the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic during the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinal game on December 13, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s July now, which means we’re officially in a new NBA year. The 2026-27 season is on the horizon, and maybe this is the year I make some basketball resolutions. Think New Year’s resolutions, except they’re about being a better fan, a better writer, and somebody who absorbs the sport a little differently. I’ll do my best to adjust my attitude on a few things. One of those things? The NBA Cup.
I’ve had a hard time embracing it, especially after what happened last season. Sure, the Suns made the NBA Cup for the second time in three years, and their reward was a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder beat them by 50. As a bonus, they also got matched up with the team that lost on the other side of the Western Conference NBA Cup bracket, which happened to be the Lakers.
So, by playing well, they earned two games against superior opponents. What a prize. That’s fine, I guess. By the end of the season, though, I’m sure we’d all rather the Suns had a couple more wins in their pocket than an opportunity to be stress tested by elite teams in November. Two more wins and the Suns would’ve finished 49-33 and secured the sixth seed. The disease of what if, amiright?
But again, I’m going to try to put all of that aside. I’m going to try to embrace the NBA Cup, the corporate sponsorships, and those funky-looking courts.
Why do I bring all of this up now? Because the NBA Cup groups have been announced. Oh joy! Fantastic!!! We now know where the Phoenix Suns landed and who they’ll be playing. They’ve been assigned to West Group A alongside the Nuggets, Rockets, Mavericks, and Jazz.
The groups are set for the Emirates NBA Cup 2026!
All 30 NBA teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season.
NBA Cup group play begins on October 30 and runs through November 27. Every team will play the other teams in its group once, and the winner of each group, along with one wildcard team from each conference, will advance to the eight-team, single-elimination knockout round.
One thing is different this year. The quarterfinals and finals are getting a new home. After three years in Las Vegas, they’ll be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Shout out to Shams for tweeting it out right after free agency opened on Tuesday. While we’re all sitting around waiting for free agent news, he’s telling us NBA Cup news. (smile John…nod…don’t get upset…)
League news: The NBA will hold the NBA Cup championship game at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 11 next season, sources tell ESPN.
The NBA Cup has become something of a proving ground in recent years. Teams that have reached the finals have gone on to find success later in the season. Look at last year. The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup Final, then did it again in the NBA Finals.
Maybe that’s the angle I’ll take. Maybe you want to make the NBA Cup because it’s a preview of what’s to come later in the season! I’m trying…I’m trying.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers are all-in on chasing the NBA championship around Luka Doncic for the next two years. The Lakers went on a wild free agent spending spree on Wednesday to sign Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton. There’s still plenty of time left in the offseason, but it feels like the Lakers’ roster is 99 percent complete.
Trading for Kessler was the Lakers’ big splash, and it will go down as one of the boldest moves of the NBA summer. Top executive Rob Pelinka gave up the team’s unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, as well as pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, to acquire a strong defensive center with a long injury history. This will be the biggest trade of the Doncic era for Los Angeles: the Lakers now have no tradable first-round picks over the next seven years and have committed $475 million to Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Kessler.
The Lakers can talk themselves into having a championship ceiling now with the league having eight unique champions over the last eight seasons. The biggest thing any team needs to win a championship is a top-5 player in the world. The Lakers have one in Doncic, and that gives them a chance to raise another banner if everything goes right for them, and several things go wrong for their top adversaries.
Kessler holds the Lakers’ championship hopes on his shoulders. You know what you’re getting from Luka if he stays healthy: best-in-class scoring and playmaking; an offensive engine unlike anything else in the league. Reaves is a really good secondary scorer who can replicate the dribble-drive creation and outside shooting that Kyrie Irving once provided next to Luka on the Dallas Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run. Doncic and Reaves are both weak defenders to put it mildly, and this team doesn’t have anyone who can replicate the wing defense that helped power the Knicks to a 2026 championship. That means the defense is all on Kessler, an elite rim protector and rebounder who suddenly has to deliver on 100 percent of his promise for the Lakers to accomplish anything meaningful.
NBA history is defined by dynasties, but there’s two big reasons why different teams keep winning the championship in this era. The first one is injuries: more pace and more space has led to added pressure on the players’ bodies, and that often causes them to break down. The Thunder might have repeated as champions if Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell stayed healthy. The Bucks might have gone back-to-back in 2021 and 2022 if Khris Middleton’s body didn’t falter. We’ll never know. The next part is the structure of the NBA’s current CBA. It’s harder to pay three superstars, because it kills your pathways to depth. The Lakers are now using one of the few three-star models in the league.
I’m not going to say the Lakers are automatically drawing dead next season for those reasons. Other teams could have injuries. So far, there are only three teams I would definitively rank ahead of the Lakers going into the 2026-2027 season right now.
Oklahoma City Thunder
San Antonio Spurs
New York Knicks
That’s the NBA’s Tier 1 of championship contenders. To me, the Lakers are a Tier 2 title contender, which looks something like this:
Los Angeles Lakers
Minnesota Timberwolves
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
I would elevate the Lakers above the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets as currently constructed. We’ll see if either of those teams makes a significant move, or if they mostly just run it back next year. The Sixers just joined Tier 2 themselves on Wednesday pulling off a shocking buy-low trade for Jaylen Brown.
The wildcards are the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. One of them is probably getting LeBron James. What else are they doing? If the Warriors land James and Anthony Davis, I’d rank them ahead of the Lakers despite that roster being old as hell. I like the Warriors’ outlook without Davis, too, especially if Kristaps Porzingis can somehow stay healthy (again, it’s always injuries). The Cavs with LeBron look a half-step below the Lakers to me unless they do something else that moves the needle.
The offseason is long. Training camps don’t open until late September, and the season doesn’t start until late Oct. We’ve seen major deals go down on the brink of training camp the last few years, like the Knicks acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and the Bucks trading for Damian Lillard. It could happen again.
For now, the Lakers are a Tier 2 championship contender in my mind with a tangible championship ceiling. I’d rank them no higher than No. 4 and no longer than No. 7 in the preseason power rankings right now. The reason I still crushed the Lakers in my Kessler trade grades is because I don’t really believe in their chance to reach their ceiling. I think there’s some terrifying downside here for LA if that happens. I do still believe in LA’s ceiling in a best case scenario, though
If the Lakers fall short of their ceiling the next two years? Well, Luka Doncic can be a free agent in 2028. Maybe a reunion in Dallas with Cooper Flagg is coming? The NBA always keeps you on your toes. The pressure is on now to make these moves count for the Lakers. It will be thrilling to watch them try.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Heston Kjerstad #13 of the Baltimore Orioles runs out a fly ball during the seventh inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
This was a strong showing from the Tides lineup. Nine of the 10 hitters that appeared in the game had at least one hit. Heston Kjerstad and Christian Encarnacion-Strand both homered and drove in two runs. Enrique Bradfield Jr. had a pair of hits, a stolen base, and a run scored. Jonathan Rodríguez, Ryan Noda, and Bryan Ramos had one double apiece. Creed Willems went 1-for-3 with a single.
Christian Herberholz tossed five solid innings and allowed one run on four hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. His lone earned run came on a solo homer in the first inning. The bullpen was less impressive. Anthony Nunez recorded one out and allowed a run. Chris Kachmar gave up three runs over 1.2 innings. And then Nick Raquet and Andrew Magno both tossed one scoreless inning to wrap up the win.
Three Baysox hitters went deep in this win. Ethan Anderson hit his 16th bomb, Thomas Sosa homered for the seventh time, and Wily Vasquez left the yard for the second time. Frederick Bencosme walked once, stole two bases, and scored one run. Anderson De Los Santos doubled, walked, and scored two runs.
Juaron Watts-Brown had another good start to earn the win. He worked 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Over his las tthree starts he has lowered his ERA from 8.78 to 6.75. Ben Vespi gave up one run over 2.2 frames in the middle innings. And then Ryan Long allowed one run in the ninth inning to close it out.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 13, Frederick Keys 7
Four of the five Frederick pitchers that worked this game had a bad day. JT Quinn gave up four runs (three earned) over 4.2 innings, though he also struck out five. Cohen Achen served up four runs in his lone inning of work. Chandler Marsh was the only arm that can be satisfied with his outing. He recorded four outs without allowing a baserunner. Todd Kniebbe gave up two runs in his inning, and Raimon Gomez coughed up a trio of runs, including two homers, in the ninth inning.
Yasmil Bucce led the offense for Frederick. The catcher went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk, two runs, and two RBI. Wehiwa Aloy doubled, walked, and drove in a run. Edwin Amparo got his first High-A double, drove in two, and scored a run. Ike Irish went 1-for-5 with a single. It was a nice game for the lineup, just not enough when the pitching staff struggled so badly.
Dalton Neuschwander started for Delmarva. He got through four innings and allowed just one run, but then things fell apart in the fifth. That inning saw Charleston score six runs and put the game out of reach. The bullpen did well to keep things as close as possible from there. Luis Beltrán, Kenny Leiner, and Zac Lampton combined for the final four frames. None of them were charged with earned runs, but Leiner was on the mound for two unearned runs in a messy eighth inning that included a hit by pitch, three wild pitches, and a throwing error.
Braylon Whitaker did a nice job setting the table for the Shorebirds atop the order He went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, a walk, and a run scored. Stiven Martinez drove in two runs with his seventh home run of the season. DJ Layton had a pair of hits, his 22nd stolen base of the season, and an RBI. Cobb Hightower went 1-for-4 with a single
DENVER, CO - JUNE 6: A general view as the sun sets behind the stadium in the fifth inning of a game between the Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on June 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are off today, but they head to Coors Field to take on the Colorado Rockies starting tomorrow.
Ah, Coors Field. Noted destroyer of baseballs, souls, hopes and dreams. Depending on your outlook, this couldn’t have come at a worse or better time. The two teams are once again scrapping for fifth place in the division. And the Giants are the laughing stock of the baseball world in nearly every aspect.
I don’t have much (if any) goodwill left for this team at the moment after the way they have screwed up…well, everything this year. So personally, I think this is the best possible time for this series. I look forward to the chaos and embarrassment. It’s like the second half of 2016, but without the false hope.
So let’s get our guesses in for how many home runs the Giants pitching staff will allow at Coors Field this weekend. And next week, I’ll take a look back at this post and anyone who got the correct answer will get burned at the stake for being a witch a shoutout for being prophetic!
My guess is that they will allow eight home runs. Because that’s my lucky number, but also it seems like a fairly low guess.
How many home runs do you think the Giants will allow this weekend?
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 20: Jake McCarthy #31 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates with Willi Castro #3 after hitting a first inning inside-the-park home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field on June 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the August 3, 2026, trade deadline fast approaching, it will soon be challenging to follow the flurry of rumors and transactions as they unfold across the league.
Inevitably rumors will spread about who from the Colorado Rockies other teams are interested in, and writers will post unrealistic mock trade ideas. Before that all starts to kick off in earnest, it would be useful to ground ourselves in some basic context for what the front office of the Rockies is most likely to be trying to do.
Based on their record, the Rockies will obviously be looking to sell current major leaguers for prospects but which players they are actively looking to move is the key. Remaining years of team control is the simplest thing to sort players by when determining which are most urgent to try and trade now.
Given that assumption, here’s what the Rockies Roster Resource page tells us about their likely priorities before August third.
Free agents after this season
SP Kyle Freeland
SP Michael Lorenzen
SP José Quintana
SP Tomoyuki Sugano
RP Antonio Senzatela
Technically both Lorenzen and Senzatela have club options for next season, but the Rockies are unlikely to exercise either. Freeland has an option that will vest if he reaches 170 innings this year, which is still possible but highly unlikely.
If the Rockies receive an offer for any of these players, there is almost no reason to hold on to any of them. The question for this group is what, if anything, will be offered. Senzatela is the only one who has performed well enough throughout the season to garner much interest, and even he has been hit by regression recently. The front office will almost certainly take the best deals available (if any), with no questions asked.
If any of these players are still on the roster after the trade deadline, it’s probably safe to assume that no useful returns were offered for them.
Free agents after 2027
OF Mickey Moniak
UTL Willi Castro
RP Jimmy Herget
Unlike the true rentals above, the Rockies don’t technically need to move any of these players. If the Rockies don’t get a decent offer, they could keep them around and see what their value looks like in the offseason. What’s more, each of these players could, theoretically, be slotted into the 2027 Rockies opening day roster without much issue.
Given the Rockies lack of a realistic chance at fielding a competitive team in 2027, however, keeping them is probably not Plan-A. With that in mind, this trio represents the highest combination of both likelihood to be moved and potential to bring back useful prospects.
Greg's trade targets for the Rays:
1. Tarik Skubal 2. Luis Arraez 3. Mickey Moniak 4. Jo Adell 5. Lars Nootbaar 6. Spencer Steer 7. Gleyber Torres 8. Taylor Ward 9. Aroldis Chapman pic.twitter.com/s3R6iVqNJn
Castro, Moniak, and Herget have each had torrid stretches of production at points this year that indicate they could meaningfully contribute on a contender. None of them is a star, but none of them are on particularly expensive contracts. Each comes with another year of control that will be appealing to teams considering giving up prospects.
Finding the best deals possible for these three will very likely be near the top of the front office’s priorities over the next month.
Free agents after 2028
OF Jake McCarthy
UTL Tyler Freeman
DH Kris Bryant
SP Ryan Feltner
If the previous two groupings are defined by the urgency with which the front office is likely moving to find interested buyers, this quartet is the first group that is more likely to be on the team next season than not.
Obviously, Bryant isn’t going anywhere. The Rockies will be paying him until his contract runs out after 2028, regardless of whether he ever steps foot on a baseball field again.
That leaves Freeman and McCarthy, who are more plausible trade candidates. Both could garner enough interest to warrant moving, especially considering that the outfield may be the one area of the Rockies roster that has decent depth for the foreseeable future.
Neither of them is a priority to move right now (because of the years of control and their flexibility), but if another team came to Paul DePodesta with a good deal for either, he would need to consider it. If these players are moved, it will be because other teams came calling with good offers.
Free agents after 2029
C Hunter Goodman
2B Edouard Julien
OF Brenton Doyle
RP Brennan Bernardino
RP Victor Vodnik
This is an odd group. On one hand is an All-Star catcher that hits a home run seemingly every other day. On the other is a collection of young players that have shown glimpses of promise in the past but have disappointed recently.
Oh, and then there’s Bernardino who is a useful lefty reliever that any team could use, but few will be specifically targeting.
To set expectations: It’s very unlikely any of these players (aside from perhaps Bernardino) is traded before the 2026 deadline.
For Julien, Doyle, and Vodnik their combination of underperformance and years of control means there is little urgency to sell low on them now. It’s probably more likely that one, or more, of this group is designated for assignment in the next 12 months if they continue to struggle than it is that a real trade partner materializes before August.
Trading for Hunter Goodman would be the biggest Pirates trade since… 2018
Colorado's 26 y.o. catcher has an .848 OPS and 26 HR (only 8 HR at Coors), and isn't a free agent until 2030
Would it be worth it to trade Edward Florentino or Seth Hernandez for the All-Star? pic.twitter.com/E6VlhQcOXm
Goodman’s remaining time under control means there will be plenty of opportunities to re-assess the market should no contenders decide to pay a steep price for three and a half seasons of his services.
2030 and beyond
Everyone else on the Rockies roster is not currently set to reach free agency until at least 2030, which is too far in the future to be able to accurately predict what the club’s competitive situation will actually look like. Making decisions on those players at this stage is very far down the priority list.
It is possible some of the players under control for this long end up getting moved (Troy Johnston, Juan Mejia, etc.), but that would be fueled more by the particular buyer’s needs/interest than the Rockies’ own priorities.
Conclusions
With the list above to work from, we can start to see a pretty clear picture of what is likely to happen throughout July. The Rockies will be actively pursuing deals for the first two groups of players and passively considering offers for the latter two.
Expect a flurry of small to mid-size moves while holding your breathe for the slim possibility of a franchise-altering blockbuster if a contender pushes all the chips in for Goodman.
There were a lot of things that went right in this game for the Isotopes. A handful of players had good performances: Sterlin Thompson (No. 13 PuRP) had a double and a home run, Ryan Miller started the game with two scoreless innings, Conner Capel worked two walks, and Bryant Betancourt hit a solo home run. In the end though, Round Rock (TEX) ended up walking off on a two run shot allowed by TJ Shook in the ninth.
All of that, however, is overshadowed by what Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) was able to do with his three monstrous hits.
The Yard Goats were only two for seventeen with runners in scoring position which is what sank their hopes of a win. Otherwise, they played a solid game that had a number of contributors.
On the mound the best performance was from Cade Denton who threw three scoreless innings and only allowed two hits. At the plate though, this game was about Roc Riggio (No. 14 PuRP) and Jack O’Dowd. Riggio had himself a great showing with three hits including a double and a homer while also managing to steal his tenth base of the season. O’Dowd, who hit a home run in his first game at Double-A on Tuesday, smacked another in his second game since being promoted and paired it with a double for good measure.
Jordy Vargas (No. 21 PuRP) got the start and managed to get through five innings on 86 pitches. He allowed three runs on four hits which did not look like it was going to be enough for Spokane to win the game as they’d scored only once —on a solo shot by Tommy Hopfe — before Vargas was relieved by Austin Emener in the sixth.
By the time Nathan Blasick took the mound in the bottom of the eighth, however, the Indians found themselves with a two-run lead. That late offensive support came primarily from Ethan Hedges (No. 29 PuRP) and Jacob Hinderleider who combined for six hits including a four doubles. Blasick earned a two inning save while recording four strikeouts.
The Grizzlies lineup was a consistent force throughout this game and managed to score a run in every inning other than the first and seventh. From top to bottom the lineup collected nine hits and nine walks. They didn’t limit their onslaught to weak contact, however, as Roldy Brito (No. 11 PuRP) collected his eighth triple of the season and all of Wilder Dalis (No. 24 PuRP), Cameron Nelson, and Yeiker Reyes hit home runs.
On the mound, starter Easton Marks struggled, allowing three runs in only two innings, but the arms that came in after him pitched more than well enough to secure the victory. Grif Hughes struck out five over four and a third innings of two run ball before giving way to Seth Clausen who closed down the final two and a third innings.
The DSL Rockies were able to get the win based primarily on solid pitching and good baserunning.
Maique Basanta and Emanuel Mejia combined to pitch the full seven inning game and allowed only two hits and two walks between them. At the plate the clear standout was center fielder Gemerson Blanco who led off and managed to score two runs on three hits.
The real story of the game though was the DSL Rockies baserunning. All of Daiel Meza, Hector Barroso, Douglas Veliz, Ishel Comenencia, and Emil Perez stole a base and this aggressive traffic on the basepaths led to three wild pitches from DSL Miami pitchers.
Not one, not two, but three Rockies farm hands made this list from Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes. Both Condon and Zac Veen, who have been crushing balls in Albuquerque all month, somewhat predictably are included. Joining them is less well known nineteen year-old outfielder Cristian Arguelles, who is excelling in his first season stateside in the Arizona Complex League.
Before going on the Injured List in mid-May, Moniak was off to the best start to the season of his career. He had struggled a bit at the plate in his first few games since his return. Thomas Harding talks with Moniak about the trouble he’d had and the adjustments he made to regain that early-season form.
The month of June saw a substantial increase in the distance balls were flying in MLB games. The total sample size of games since the shift has not been large, but the effects have been noticeable enough to raise eyebrows across the league. Eno Sarris and Evan Drellich dig into that shift and MLB’s initial response to it in this piece by The Athletic that is very useful context on the league-wide run environment.
COLUMBUS, OHIO - JUNE 04, 2026: Ralphy Velazquez #35 of the Columbus Clippers runs out a ground ball during the second inning against the Omaha Storm Chasers at Huntington Park on June 04, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Let’s start with the good news. The Cleveland Guardians beat the Texas Rangers in a classic 9-run punt lineup that featured David Fry leading off and Austin Hedges hitting a home run. Nick has the full recap here.
Ralphy Velazquez has been selected for the All-Star Futures game. Cooper Ingle has also been selected, but will not participate due to his recent MLB promotion.
Ralphy Velazquez is a ⭐️
Huge congratulations to Ralphy Velazquez on being selected to represent the Columbus Clippers in the All-Star Futures Game!#ClipShowpic.twitter.com/mWZOTe7bcY
Now, for some potentially bad news. Justin Campbell was slated to start in Columbus last night for his AAA debut. Campbell was pulled during warmups. Other than the below video showing where Campbell gestured to the training staff, there is no further updates at the time of writing.
This is the Justin Campbell injury. Pay less attention to the arm circle with his left arm and more at when he motions to the dugout. Appears to point towards his back. Hopefully not an arm issue. pic.twitter.com/h56N5H8L99
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - MAY 21: Rainiel Rodriguez #31 of the Springfield Cardinals takes batting practice prior to the game between the Springfield Cardinals and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Thursday, May 21, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Caton Marsh/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Whenever I give updates on minor league stats, I’m always conflicted about how many players to include. Some of it is time management-related. Obviously, if I cover every conceivable player, it will take me time I sometimes don’t have. But I also am not particularly interested in writing 5,000 words for one of these either. So I inevitably have to exclude some players. So a couple weeks before the All-Star break and thus when I’m going to start squeezing in the first half updates, I thought I’d get a head start and tackle the rookie leagues, a league I haven’t actually done yet.
These are players you probably won’t need to know for many years and frequently never, but sometimes there’s a Raniel Rodriguez in the mix. Just two short years ago, Rodriguez was on a rookie league update and next year, he might see the major leagues. But most of the time, it’ll be like Ivan Herrera – he would have appeared in the 2017 update (if I was doing them then), he didn’t make his first MLB appearance until 2022, and he wasn’t a regular until 2024. Doesn’t make it not fun when a player makes it and you remember them from the first time you saw their name though.
Caña has improved his K rate from 23% last year and his walk rate is a third of what it was last year while his GB rate has remained. While he has pitched fairly well, he has hit three batters – hence the weirdly high xFIP despite a phenomenal K/BB ratio. If you add the walks and HBP, it’s a 9 BB%, which is obviously not quite as impressive. But he has improved a lot nonetheless.
Gomez is pitching fairly similar to last year, although he has produced more swing and miss – his swinging strike rate last year was 11.9%, and this year it’s 15.4%. His K% has only marginally rose making me wonder if perhaps if we can expect more strikeouts by the end of the year. Gomez represents the last DSL pitching prospect I will post. Not a prospecty group here. The two 17-year-olds who’ve actually pitched any innings have been not good and I guess it’s different with pitchers, but I generally kind of ignore any 18-year-old in the DSL for prospect purposes.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: there’s a catcher in the Cardinals system destroying the ball. Is this guy going to get some prospect love over the offseason? I don’t think anybody is writing about the DSL guys yet, but I am just amazed that I blink and there’s another catching prospect.
Oh okay so this league is like that. Got it. That should be much better than a 136 wRC+, or at least it would be at just about any other pro league, but I see that the DSL is on some Coors Field shit. Not to diminish Estrella, but he seems like a probably bad defensive outfielder, because he’s played 11 games in RF, 3 games at 1B, and 3 games at DH. I feel like if you’re getting zero centerfield play at this level, it’s not a good sign. Throw in the strikeouts and proceed with caution.
I normally wouldn’t make a point to post an 18-year-old’s stats from the DSL, but Portolatin was actually a better hitter last year. I’m not entirely sure why they didn’t take him to the stats – he had a 145 wRC+. Throw in that he’s a clear shortstop and I thought he was worth mentioning. I don’t know if it’s a difference in run environment or why he stayed in the DSL – but his ISO has improved from .148 to .211. His better line last year was almost entirely BB-related as he had a 29% BB rate, giving him a .483 OBP. But power genuinely seems to be up in this league.
Takahashi played last season as a 16-year-old and walked his way to a nearly average line. This time he’s actually got a decent average. That said, he’s yet to hit an extra base hit in 108 PAs at the DSL level. That’s not great. His most played position is CF so that’s the good news.
Cordero also played a significant amount as a 16-year-old last season and I kind of wish he had made more progress from last season. He’s been better, but not by much, and most of his stats are very similar to last year. You hope a 16-year-old with a 95 wRC+ improves more than a 101 wRC+ the next season.
Yeah the run environment is crazy if that’s a below average hitting line. Castillo has played some games at SS too. I don’t know if he’s limited to 2B right now because of Portolatin, or if he’s more of a 2B who’s just getting reps at SS so he can be a fill-in. But you’d think he’d play more SS if the Cardinals thought he was one. Looking at these other lines makes it crazier that Takahashi can’t hit an extra base hit right now.
This is a very strange season for a pitcher who seems to not actually know where the ball is going. It’s either going to be a strikeout, a walk, or a home run. He has struck out 38 guys in 21 innings, and he didn’t really slow down when he arrived in Palm Beach. He hasn’t allowed many flyballs either… it’s just it’s probably a homer if he does allow a flyball.
Gabe, buddy, you’re almost there. We Gabes have to stick together. You have a fan for life. Looks like things just need to bounce his way more often – great K rate, decent amount of groundballs, too many walks, but not too bad. It’s just a very low LOB%, a very high HR/FB%, and a very high BABIP. I choose to believe you’ve been very unlucky.
As a counterpoint to the idea that only 17-year-olds are prospects in the DSL, Jan Cabrera exists. He was good, not great pitcher in the DSL as a 20-year-old. This year, he’s turned into a groundball machine (just 31 GB% last year). Granted, Cabrera still isn’t really a prospect, but he’s at least interesting.
Last year, the Cardinals had a few guys in the DSL who hit like the league was way too easy for them. Dos Santos was one of those players, and he made it looked like the complex league was too easy as well. That’s why he’s now in Palm Beach. So far, so good. Probably can’t walk 20% of the time forever, but I appreciate a patient hitter.
I would not necessarily describe Hernandez as someone who made the DSL look too easy, but he had a very good season and he’s picked up exactly where he left off. For what it’s worth, because both he and Dos Santos are sort of shortstops, Hernandez has played a fair number of games at 2B. I’m assuming he became the full-time SS as soon as Dos Santos was promoted. It probably answers why Portolatin was left in the DSL actually.
Feels absurd to just say Lebron’s last name for obvious reasons, but that’s why he needs to make it. Lebron is having a solid season that if it continues, should put him line to spend next season at Palm Beach.
It just feels like the name Kenly Hunter should be a power hitter, so to it’s kind of surprising that he’s the opposite of that. He has played all three outfield positions nearly equally, though CF does top the games played. He also also stolen 11 bases to 1 caught stealing in these 28 games. Feels like he’s a centerfielder!
Oh hey a relatively normal catching prospect! They do exist! Even so, this is pretty solid. Good amount of walks, not a lot of strikeouts, some power. He’s not going to be on a top 20 list, but he’s just really continuing to add to the catching depth.
Pedro’s son struggled for most of his DSL tenure, but surged at the end, leading the Cardinals to bring him to Florida. So it should probably not be a shock to see him struggling to begin his rookie ball tenure in America. He’s not so overmatched though that I think it was the wrong decision. Hopefully, he finishes strong again this season.
Rujano actually had the better season than Cabrera in the DSL, but he’s gotten off to a rougher start. In fact, Rujano was actually ranked 29th on the Cardinals’ team list by Fangraphs entering this season. With that said, he’s also a year younger and it’s no cause for an alarm if an 18-year-old is struggling at this level.
What an interesting line. Given the power and the BABIP, it’s probably safe to say that Lucena has been hitting the ball pretty weakly. But I do find him walking more than he’s struck out encouraging. For what it’s worth, Lucena is one of the hitters who laid waste to the DSL – he had a 141 wRC+. The approach is there, just not the punch.
Definitely covered more names than I would have if I tried to squeeze the rookie leagues into my normal update. And a couple names might end up on the normal update since they are now in Palm Beach. Not as exciting of a year in the DSL as last season (though maybe another Raniel!), but plenty of names to follow in the complex league.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14: Casey Mize #12 of the Detroit Tigers, Bobby Witt Jr. #7 and Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals look on during the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Truist Park on Monday, July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Surprise! I know it’s not Friday. But big thanks to Trenton! I’m going to be out tomorrow, so he graciously switched with me, and you get him tomorrow. I have even more good news for those who dislike my Friday Rumblings: I’ll be out of town the next two weeks. I believe Cullen and Max will be grabbing those, but I could be mistaken. Also, big thanks to them!
The Kansas City Royals have scratched left-handed starter Kris Bubic from his scheduled rehab outing on Wednesday. Bubic was set to pitch around three innings with Triple-A Omaha. It would’ve been his third rehab appearance with the Storm Chasers.
However, Royals assistant general manager Scott Sharp joined Sports Radio 810 WHB and said Bubic will return to Kansas City. He will undergo further evaluation as he deals with left-shoulder soreness.
“I wish I had a little bit better news,” Sharp said. “Kris was supposed to pitch tonight. I don’t think he’s going to. He’s going to come back to Kansas City. And we just can’t get the final little bit of soreness out there. We’ll continue to be hopeful with continued treatment and rest that we can get him back sooner than later.”
Bubic was transferred to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, which was more of a procedural move rather than directly related to this new setback; the Royals needed a 40-man roster spot to add reliever Jose Cuas and call him up to the big leagues. The 60-day IL dates back to Bubic’s initial IL date on May 15, so he’ll be eligible to return July 14. With this setback, Bubic wasn’t going to be back in the next two weeks, anyway.
Some better injury news from Rogers?
Vinnie Pasquantino & Kyle Isbel participated in BP and defensive drills today. The plan was to get them to AZ to continue rehab later this week, but they're actually going to stay in KC to continue their work. Expectation/hope is that both go on a rehab assignment next week.
Going back to Thompson, he also wrote about Cole Ragans. He had surgery and is… you know what? He put it all in a couple of sentences. Better to read it from him:
Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans underwent left-elbow surgery Wednesday. Ragans, 28, is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season. It’s his third major elbow procedure as he previously underwent two Tommy John surgeries earlier in his career.
Fortunately, the game on the field is going better than off, right?!?
Loudest applause at The K so far is when the #Royals fans tried to pair an inflatable hot dog and hot bun together in the stands.
They were successful.
— Jaylon T. Thompson (@jaylonthompson) July 2, 2026
Tier 6: Typical sellers New York Mets Colorado Rockies Kansas City Royals – SP, RP
The Rockies expected to be here, the Mets and Royals less so. While Mickey Moniak and Freddy Peralta and Kris Bubic are useful pieces to move, these squads don’t really have the rosters to shake up the deadline by embracing a more aggressive sale. Maybe the Mets make some guys with team control available (like Brett Baty or Mark Vientos), but that would be because they’re enduring disappointing seasons that have depressed their value.
At CBS Sports, their baseball writers hand out halfway grades:
Kansas City Royals: F
Two years ago, the Royals made the playoffs. Last season, they had a winning record. This season, they are among the worst teams in baseball. The good signs (breakouts from Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone) are overshadowed, quite greatly, by the bad. Injury concerns with Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic linger and the bullpen is a complete mess. Injuries to Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia haven’t helped matters, but the offense was lackluster even with them in the lineup. It’s just been all kinds of bad in K.C. this season. — Snyder
Finally, at ESPN, Anthony Gharib names the “Red, white, and bobby” bobblehead the best 4th of July giveaway.
And, just a quick little “around baseball” blurb, Happy Bobby Bonilla Day to all who celebrate!
While Clarke’s profile is flawed, which explains why the Royals were okay with letting him go, he’s been dependable for the Diamondbacks, even in medium- to high-leverage. He has 11 holds this year, his highest mark in that category since 2023 when he had 12 holds in 58 plate appearances. Clarke will likely surpass that number barring an epic collapse or injury.
Considering the Royals bullpen ranks 29th in reliever ERA and 30th in WHIP, Clarke would be a worthwhile arm to have right now, especially in the late innings. Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm have struggled, and Carlos Estevez has only pitched in one game due to injury. The Royals closer likely won’t be back anytime soon after another setback, according to Anne Rogers.
Gotta be honest: kindof surprised Taylor Clarke is having a cromulent year.
At Into the Fountains, Craig wrote about Tuesday’s ugly loss (as opposed to last night’s, which I’m sure he’s writing about now*).
*I don’t know how last night’s ended up, honestly – the Royals were only down 2-0 when I finished writing this.
Since it’s not Friday, I figure a couple of movie reviews of movies I watched a month or two ago feels about right. Also, I went back and counted – this entry pushes us past 200 Friday Rumblings movie reviews. It’s almost a lock that I will eventually collect all of them in a low-effort link post one of these days.
I didn’t care much for the first one, due to its scattered plot and characters. This one is more focused. It still has a few different plots, but they aren’t nearly as disparate – they all mostly come together in the end. Because of this focus, there aren’t as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first due to this focus on plot. It expands the, ahem, galaxy reasonably well, but I’m not sure how much further they can go with this. As I said about the first, they tried too much kitchen sink with an origin story, lots about Bowser, Donkey Kong, Mario Kart, and more. It’s left less ground to cover for the future. Star Fox was a fine addition, and maybe we’re going towards Super Smash Bros. In short, it’s pretty and works reasonably well, better than the first. But it’s still mostly forgettable and, sadly, I think Nintendo’s movies will burn out sooner rather than later.
The first was wonderful – one of the better animated movies of the last decade. It’s a movie that didn’t assume kids are just dumb consumers and tried to teach lessons in genuinely creative and entertaining ways. It took almost a decade, but Zootopia 2 mostly delivers, even if it suffers some sequelitis. If you look too literally at this one, the main quest in this kids’ movie involves tracking down a 100-year old patent to disprove fraud. Of course, it’s really about learning to be yourself and learning to live with and finding value in others. That lesson is, once again, taught within a colorful, lived-in world with multi-faceted characters, full of modernized lessons that don’t assume kids are dumb. It’s not as fresh or original as the first. And maybe it will age better on subsequent watchings (Spiderverse 2 did for me). But it is a worthy sequel, and I’m ok waiting another decade if the Disney team wants to keep putting out
The next couple of movies are original IPs, which makes it even more unfortunate that both miss the mark. This one starts with a colorful and interesting premise. However, it leans heavily on two common Pixar tropes: a tragic introduction to our protagonist that eventually melts into the “two unlikely companions” buddy pic. There are times when the movie dreams big: like the Carl Sagan’s bits and universe-building. But, most of the time, it lacks the smartness or sharpness that Pixar used to traffic in. It feels paint-by-number: alien families are just like human families, communication misunderstandings between races that ham-handedly mirror those between our main characters, our protagonist and his new friend were always going to save the day, and he was always going to go back to his adopted family on Earth.
Some pieces of a much better movie might be in there, but the finished product is not it. I wonder about the production difficulties. Adrian Molina co-directed Coco, which was easily one of the Pixar’s best movies of the last decade. He was the original director of this film, which drew on his personal life story. However, he left for (or was pushed to) Coco 2 – it’s a little unclear. Some combination of the new directors, Pete Docter, and the 2025 political climate removed Elio (per wiki) as a “queer-coded character”. Allegedly, this made it “much more generic” and about “totally nothing”. That could have been the heart that the final cut lacked. I’ve always said that kids are almost always smarter than we give them credit for, and Pixar reliably made bank on that for 15 years. They can still surprise you, but those hits are mixed in with lots of shiny, brainless shlock or sequels of movies from when they were better.
Wish, perhaps unfairly, had the weight of Disney’s 100th birthday on its shoulders. They tried to do an old-fashioned fairy tale, right down to the legacy Disney book introduction. It employs an interesting style of animation and the more I watched it, the more gorgeous it looked. I like the basic idea of the movie, but – here come the buts – it takes a long time to get anywhere. There’s not enough plot and too much filler (like Alan Tudyk) yet still gives short shrift to major plots like Simon’s betrayal and “redemption”. Some of the morality is vague and questionable, particularly for an old-school fairy tale; the idea of stealing wishes and who those wishes really belong to is greyer than it needs to be. And, critically: the movie never quite feels earnest enough to live up to its message. I really wanted to like the “You’re a Star” scene and the animation is fun. But it’s also a reminder that metafiction is hard to do and this movie misses the mark more often than not. Considering how much musicals rise and fall with their tunes, the music for this one is just… fine. I appreciate that they really tried to make a new animated classic. They just weren’t up to the task this time out; Better luck next time. Unfortunately, because these failed, we’ll probably be treated to more safe, unoriginal sequels instead.
Song of the day? How about we use one from one of the movies above?
Something is starting to feel familiar. Familiar, but different.
The Cubs’ bats are starting to come into form once again. That was proven in the games from Monday and Tuesday. Six batters in the Cubs’ starting lineup Monday had hits, with Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, Alex Bregman and Pete Crow-Armstrong with a pair each, in the 3-2 walk-off win. Suzuki had the game-winning hit.
Then on Tuesday, every hitter in the starting lineup (even Kevin Alcantara!) had at least one hit. Suzuki and Carson Kelly each had a pair. Two of Swanson’s three hits were home runs, two of the five homers on the team.
But Shota Imanaga, who picked up the win Monday with 6.1 strong innings, is the only starter from the Opening Day roster that has not been injured. Matthew Boyd recently returned from the IL and had a bend-but-not-break outing Tuesday. And five of the OD bullpen members are on the IL, plus Colin Rea was an emergency move into the rotation.
While having a patchwork pitching staff, the Cubs have won 10 of their last 12 games. Yes, it’s another streak for the Cubs. But instead of the shocking runs from early in the season, where the feeling was, “Is this real?!!! Who cares — Let’s keep going, whoo!!”, the feeling is, “Is this ….. real?? When is it going to fall apart? When will the pitching injuries take a permanent toll on the team? Well, let’s keep going and see.” Not to be a downer here, but I feel there is definitely a stronger feeling of caution than there was in April and early May. Rightfully so.
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Jordan Bastian (MLB.con): Swanson homers twice as Cubs win slugfest over Padres. “There are nights when Wrigley Field transforms into a hitter’s haven and teams understand that piling up runs is not only the goal, but required to find the win column.”
Evan Sullivan (Cubs Insider): Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Explosive June Puts Him Alongside Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig. “Pete Crow-Armstrong nearly lapped the field in June, posting a 3.1 fWAR mark that left Detroit’s Dillon Dingler (1.8) in the dust. The numbers Crow-Armstrong generated are so outlandish that they’ve only been replicated in four other months by two players.”
Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports.com): Are the Chicago Cubs’ Injuries Becoming Their Greatest Concern in 2026? “At this point, it seems like there is someone new is added every day, as the pitching staff has been destroyed. Now, they must find a way to overcome the injuries if they wish to stay competitive.”
Eddie Lennon (LastWordOnSports.com): 3 Strong Luis Arraez Trade Destinations. “He doesn’t hit for power. He doesn’t rack up elite exit velocity numbers. He doesn’t overwhelm with highlight-reel tools.”
Tyler Edmunds (OnTapSportsNet): The Cubs Need to Stop Waiting and Go Get Sonny Gray. “The Chicago Cubs adding Sonny Gray from the Boston Red Sox would make a lot of sense for a team desperately needing pitching help.”
Eddie Lennon (LastWordOnSports.com): 3 Great Landing Spots for Freddy Peralta. “Peralta still brings exactly what contenders want in October: strikeouts, swing-and-miss stuff, and the ability to shorten games when every inning carries postseason weight.”
Food For Thought:
John Lee Hooker (1917–2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist famous for his hypnotic, driving “boogie” rhythm and deep, gravelly voice. Born into a Mississippi sharecropping family, he pioneered an electric-style adaptation of Delta blues in Detroit. Over a career spanning five decades, he recorded over 100 albums, releasing classics like “Boogie Chillen” and “Boom Boom”.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
The current collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. It is expected that MLB will institute a lockout following the CBA’s expiration, and the lockout could threaten the 2027 season. Sportico’s Michael McCann, who is an attorney and a law professor, breaks down the potential legal fallout of a lockout in two parts. Below is Part I, which analyzes the outlines of the labor dispute and the legal questions confronting MLB and management. Part II, which will run on Monday, will look more closely at the player and labor side of the legal question.
At the core, the disagreement between MLB and MLBPA is about money, and who gets it.
MLB contends cost controls are needed to bridge the wide gap between teams that spend massive amounts of money on payroll and those that spend comparatively little. According to Spotrac, the New York Mets’ player payroll this year is $328 million, while the Cleveland Guardians’ is $80 million. MLB has reportedly proposed a salary cap and salary floor of $245 million and $171 million, respectively. In other pro sports leagues, there are salary caps and maximum salaries, which are depicted as helping to promote fair play and leveling the playing field.
MLB also seeks such measures as caps on the length of player contracts so they can’t extend beyond five years (for a player joining a new team) or six years (for a player staying with their team). The league also proposed an increase of the minimum MLB salary from $780,000 to $1 million and requiring that players be at least 20 years old and two years removed from high school before signing contracts with MLB organizations.
The union insists these and other demands would harm the sport, saying MLB seeks to “reduce player compensation by billions of dollars” as well as “eliminate fundamental rights with a salary cap” and “destroy the amateur entry process.” Along those lines, the MLBPA says a cap system would “eliminate the free market” as part of a desire to suppress player salaries and maximize the profits of teams and owners.
2. How Can a Lockout Be Legal?
Even if on the surface they appear to be unfair to players, lockouts are legal when they’re in support of a legitimate bargaining position.
A lockout is when an employer refuses to allow employees to work and thus be paid. It is intended to pressure union members into acquiescing to management’s demands. MLB players will literally be “locked out” of showing up at spring training facilities and ballparks to perform their employment contracts. To mitigate the financial impact, players’ associations usually create a lockout fund that pays players a portion of their salary during a work stoppage.
MLB seeks changes to its economic relationship with the union. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that lockouts are permissible when they bring “economic pressure to bear in support of” a “legitimate economic position.”
Lockouts can become illegal and deemed unfair labor practices if they interfere with employees’ rights to collectively bargain.
Although it didn’t garner as much attention as the current dispute, MLB locked out players on Dec. 1, 2021. The lockout lasted three months and eight days. It led to a shortened spring training and a delayed opening day, but the entire 162-game schedule was played. The NFL, NBA and NHL have all turned to lockouts this century.
3. Does a Lockout Have to Happen on Dec. 1?
No.
A lockout, just like a strike, is a choice.
When a CBA expires, many provisions, including those governing wages and medical benefits, continue. In fact, they could continue for years during what is coined the “status quo period.” This period is mandated by labor law and the National Labor Relations Board and during it, a league can’t unilaterally impose new rules for wages, hours and other working conditions.
In my work in law, I was part of a labor-management dispute during which the status quo period lasted for years. Things functioned as normal. It is not uncommon, at least outside of sports, for a CBA to expire and for not much to change until a new CBA is negotiated.
Even in pro sports, leagues and players’ associations have operated for years in status quo. Most notably, U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team went years (2018 to 2022) between the expiration of one CBA and agreement on a new one. The team played games and operated as usual during that stretch.
Status quo continues until a new CBA is reached or the parties reach an impasse after good-faith bargaining.
4. Could MLB and the MLBPA Operate in Status Quo?
Yes, but don’t expect that to happen.
MLB seeks substantial changes to the economics of baseball, including a salary cap, max contracts and other features that MLBPA opposes. MLB does not want to continue with the terms of a current CBA, aka the status quo. That said, if the two sides are close to a deal as Dec. 1 nears, MLB could postpone a lockout.
5. How Discouraging Is It That the Sides Appear Far Apart?
It’s not a good sign that MLB seeks major changes and that the MLBPA appears steadfastly opposed, but don’t forget there’s a lot of time in between now and Dec. 1.
The league and union are waging a battle to shape public opinion, with the league asserting the changes it seeks would make MLB more like other major pro leagues, and players saying already-wealthy owners just want more money. A lot of that discourse, including what will be depicted as news in media stories about the negotiations, is noise and hyperbole. The two sides will bargain behind closed doors, and away from journalists and influencers, and eventually reach a compromise both can live with.
Along those lines, recall the recent labor dispute last year involving the WNBA and WNBPA. The two sides seemed far off, and both were very PR-conscious. The dispute lasted months, but they reached a deal without any games being lost.
6. Could MLB Teams Lay Off Scouts and Other Personnel?
MLB teams can always make staffing decisions, lockout or not. A lockout could eventually lead to a lengthy cessation of business operations, which might lead teams to lay off or furlough employees, or reduce employees’ pay. During the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB teams engaged in all those employment reduction practices.
But the pandemic was different from a labor dispute in key ways. There was no certainty on when the pandemic would end or how the sports world would operate in the months and years afterward. That’s not true of a labor dispute, which could end at any time with an immediate return to normal business. Eliminating front office jobs that would need to be filled again might not be a smart move, since it would mean cutting ties with seasoned and skilled employees.
7. Could Congress or the President Force MLB to End the Lockout?
No.
Neither Congress nor the president has the authority under federal law, the U.S. Constitution or case precedent to compel a private sports league to end a dispute with its unionized players.
This is not President Ronald Reagan firing air traffic controllers. Nor is this the NLRB, under President Barack Obama, suing Boeing for plans to relocate a plant from Washington to South Carolina.
This is a labor dispute involving a sports league and its players. It will end when the league and players figure out a solution.
8. Could Congress or the President Pressure the Sides to Reach a Deal?
Sure, and that probably will happen to some degree.
Baseball has a storied history in our country, most teams have taxpayer-funded stadiums, and many jobs, including people employed at restaurants and bars near ballparks, could lose business if games are missed in 2027. The prospect of a lost season would aggravate some members of Congress and their constituents.
Congress has also shown an affinity for weighing in on sports disputes—consider the airtime members of Congress receive when sermonizing on the state of college sports. They are no doubt aware that major sports and news media will cover whatever they say.
But there’s some risk for Congress to weigh in too aggressively on a private sports league dispute featuring billionaire owners and millionaire athletes—the average MLB player salary is $5.34 million. This isn’t a labor dispute involving steel workers, auto plant assembly-line employees or teachers. Baseball is an entertainment product that, while popular, is not essential to the economy.
That concern seems especially true at a time when many everyday Americans face real-time, real-world concerns like higher grocery and gas prices and rising housing and education costs.
9. What Could Congress Actually Do?
The big card held by members of Congress is threatening MLB with rescinding what’s left of MLB’s antitrust exemption. This is a familiar playbook.
In Federal Baseball Club v. National League (1922), the U.S. Supreme Court held that professional baseball is exempt from antitrust scrutiny. The ruling has long been criticized as out of step with basic understandings of the law, and the court later refused to extend the exemption to other sports, including football, basketball and boxing.
Decades later a baseball player, Curt Flood, challenged the exemption, but in 1972, the Supreme Court upheld the exemption under the doctrine of stare decisis. That phrase refers to the idea the court must adhere to precedent, and precedent from 1922, even if arguably wrong, must be followed. The court added that Congress and the president could use the lawmaking process to repeal or reduce the scope of the exemption.
A quarter century later, Congress passed, and President Bill Clinton signed into law, the Curt Flood Act. The act narrowed the scope of MLB’s antitrust exemption, most notably by eliminating the exemption’s application to MLB players’ employment. The exemption continues for certain other topics, including minor league baseball, the amateur draft, franchise relocation and ownership sales. MLB has argued the exemption has benefited fans, since owners can’t threaten a league with an antitrust lawsuit to relocate.
Congress could introduce legislation to repeal the remainder of the exemption. Whether there would be sufficient political support is unknown, but Congress could use that threat to urge MLB to strike a deal with the MLBPA.
For the most part, however, the antitrust exemption doesn’t play a meaningful role. The Curt Flood Act means the exemption no longer applies to MLB players’ employment—the topic of the lockout.
10. Could MLB Challenge the MLBPA in the Legal System?
Yes, and there’s a playbook for that.
In February 2011, a month before the NFL CBA would expire and the NFL would lock out players, the league filed an unfair labor practice charge (ULP) with the NLRB. The NFL claimed the union was not bargaining in good faith.
The NBA, which locked out its players later in 2011, similarly filed a ULP with the NLRB against the NBPA. The NBA portrayed the NBPA disclaiming interest as a sham to facilitate players suing via antitrust law. The NBA also separately sued the NBPA in the Southern District of New York.
The NLRB investigates ULP charges over a period of months and ultimately issues a recommendation to a regional director, whose decision is reviewed by the NLRB (yes, a lot of steps). The NLRB could issue a complaint and seek an injunction from a federal judge.
MLB could adopt a similar strategy in hopes of obtaining leverage for its bargaining with players (and MLBPA could do the same), though ultimately these maneuvers would likely be slow moving and not resolve the fundamental dispute.
11. Could MLB Impose Terms Like a Salary Cap Without Union Consent?
MLB tried that strategy during the players’ strike in 1994-95, and a federal judge rejected it. (More on that in Part II.) That said, MLB could declare an impasse, meaning it believes it made its best, final offer to the union. MLB could then try to impose the terms in that offer. MLBPA, however, would file a ULP charge against MLB and insist the union and league are engaged in good-faith bargaining.
12. Can Mediation Get the Two Sides Talking?
Yes.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), a neutral, government entity, has been used by leagues and players’ associations in past labor disputes. FMCS involves both sides in a dispute presenting their arguments to a mediator, who proposes a resolution. The proposal is not binding; it is only a recommendation to the two sides.
In 2022, the league proposed to the union that they use FMCS, but MLB said the MLBPA denied the request. During the 2012-13 NHL lockout, the two sides used FMCS, and recommendations by mediator Scot Beckenbaugh were thought to help the NHL and NHLPA find a solution.
Stay tuned for Part II of McCann’s breakdown, which will run on Monday.
Boston, MA - June 30: Boston Red Sox second baseman Anthony Seigler strikes out in the sixth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park on June 30, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Yesterday, following a second straight loss to the increasingly unlikeable Washington Nationals, the Red Sox appropriately flew west into the setting sun to begin a nine game road trip. Their season is either on the brink, or already dead (depending on who you talk to), and their future is vastly uncertain.
Looking ahead, the trade deadline is still a month away (Monday, August 3rd at 6:00pm), but thanks to a bit of scheduling quirk and the All Star Break, there’s now just one homestand left for the Red Sox before we get there (July 17th through the 26th against everybody in the AL East other than the Yankees). So this has me wondering, when will the next meaningful baseball game at Fenway Park occur?
If you want to be wildly optimistic, you could say it will be their very next game there on July 17th, coming out of the All Star Break. If the Sox rip off something like a 7-2 road trip, they would still be close enough to sniff the third Wild Card entering that pivotal stretch, and it would very much be “game on” given how horrible the AL is this year and the likelihood of some big names coming back soon.
However, if you want to be wildly pessimistic, you could say the next meaningful game at Fenway Park won’t occur for another two years. Suppose the Sox have a disastrous west coast road trip and go something like 2-7? Then they sell pieces coming out of the break (officially ending contention in 2026) and run head first into a crippling lockout that wipes out the entire 2027 season.
The real answer is probably something in the middle, but I’m kind of amazed I don’t have to squint too hard to see either extreme.
Talk about this and whatever else you like in this tread, and as always, be good to one another! (Also, stay cool out there in this heat!)
Maccelli, who was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round (No. 98) in the 2019 NHL Draft -- fun fact, Isaiah George was selected with the same pick just three years -- was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Toronto Maple Leafs following the 2025-26 season, which allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent.
The Finnish forward had a solid year, recording 14 goals with 25 assists for 39 points after only scoring eight goals with 10 assists for 18 points during his one and only season in Utah after the migration from Arizona.
"Matias is definitely a skilled player and e's only 25 years old too," Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said on Wednesday night. "He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the year, so you see some teams around the league, like you see a guy that's had 50, 57-point seasons. First of all, he's going to help us now, and if things go well, and he plays well with us, and there's a good fit, well, nothing says that we can't continue with him.
"So, we brought some offensive skill to our lineup that will help our, you know, our top lines, and that will also help on the power play."
Yes, Maccelli will be an RFA after this season, which is critical in a salary cap world for a team that is expecting to undergo some major changes next summer when certain contracts come off the books.
It's a huge prove-it year for the skilled forward.
While doing some digging on the player, I found something very interesting.
Despite being a fourth round pick, he actually, sits in the top 10 in his draft class in points.
Sure, you have the heavy hitters -- Jack Hughes (428), Matt Boldy (329) and Cole Caufiled (307) -- but ninth on the list is Maccelli with 169.
He is ahead of names like Connor McMichael (154), Shane Pinto (153), Pavel Dorofeyev (149) and Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom (120).
Out of the top 10 point producing players from this draft class, Maccelli is only one of two players not selected in the first round. The only other is Aliaksei Protas, who was selected 91st overall.
Maccelli will likely play a middle-six role for the Islanders and maybe, maybe, skate alongside a Mathew Barzal given his wheels.
The 33-year-old former England international made 157 appearances in his three-year Rangers stint, winning the League Cup in December 2023.
Butland told the Hull City website: "The last few years playing at an incredible club like Rangers, somewhere I hold close to my heart, meant it had to be something really enticing to change that.
"The European nights and all the experience I gained up in Scotland, and my experience prior to that, are going to set me up perfectly for the challenge ahead this year.
"The Premier League is the best league in the world and, personally, it's a great opportunity to be on the biggest stage again. I believe it's the level I'm capable of playing at, and I've done it before."
