MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 20: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 20, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Memphis Grizzlies continue to mourn the loss of 29-year-old Brandon Clarke, who died on May 11.
The team's latest tribute to the late-power forward included a tribute memorial in his honor, placed in the Grizzlies locker room at FedEx Forum located in Memphis, Tennessee.
Grizzlies center Zach Edey posted a picture to his social media page on Instagram where he revealed a depiction of a memorial that reads, "Brandon Clarke 1996-2026 Forever in our hearts".
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke," the Grizzlies announced in a May tweet. "Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Remembering Brandon Clarke
Clarke was the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, originally selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He spent his entire career with the Grizzlies following a trade to Memphis on July 7, 2019.
Clarke was born in Vancouver and moved to the United States when he was 3. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, where he eventually starred at Desert Vista High School.
"Sad day," Sam Duane Jr., who coached Corona del Sol to that 2015 state championship win over Desert Vista, told the Arizona Republic. "Brandon was a tremendous player, elite competitor. He played with great passion and intensity, while, at the same time, respected his opponents and the game. He was extremely hard to compete against, but easy to root for."
Clarke went on to play at San Jose State, where he earned the Mountain West Conference Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman. After playing his sophomore season in the Bay Area, he transferred to Gonzaga and spent his final two collegiate seasons with the Bulldogs.
One person has more influence over him than anyone else.
It’s not his close friend Draymond Green, who had his ear during recent travels. Nor Steph Curry, who made a pitch for him to join the Warriors on “Good Morning America.”
LeBron James and his daughter, Zhuri, have already made special memories together on and off the court. Getty Images
It’s not Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 31-year-old superstar who was traded to Miami last month. Nor Heat president Pat Riley, who after acquiring Antetokounmpo said, “There’s another [plane] we have to land.”
It’s not Brandon Weems, James’ childhood friend who’s now an assistant general manager for the Cavaliers. Or Tyrese Maxey, who’s leading the 76ers’ pursuit of the megastar.
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Zhuri has been seen at more of LeBron’s games over the past couple of years, including the 2024 Paris Olympics. Corbis via Getty ImagesJames must decide whether he wants to remain close to his family in California or head elsewhere. Getty Images for Fanatics
So, who is it?
“It’s my almost 12-year-old daughter who is pulling the weight a lot,” James said during a conversation with Rich Kleiman at Fanatics Fest on Thursday.
Yes, the fate of arguably the greatest NBA player of all time lies in the hands of a middle schooler.
James is 41 years old and has played an unprecedented 23 NBA seasons. He knows better than anyone the sacrifice greatness requires. He still shows up to practice facilities three hours early. He still arrives at arenas five hours before tipoff.
So, when he decided to leave the Lakers after eight seasons — his longest consecutive stretch anywhere in his career — his professional and personal goals collided.
It meant he would not only be away from his family because he wholeheartedly devotes himself to the sport, but for the first time in his career he’d likely be in a different city than them.
James has repeatedly said that his family — mainly Zhuri and Savannah — will play a major factor in his free agency decision. Instagram/@lebronjames
Zhuri is his main concern.
His wife, Savannah, signed up for this life. As for his sons? Bronny is almost 22 and plays for the Lakers. Bryce is 19 and plays for Arizona.
Zhuri has lived in Los Angeles since she was a preschooler. It’s where her friends are. It’s where she’s becoming a volleyball star. Uprooting her would be extremely difficult.
That’s why it’s hard to imagine James choosing anywhere besides Golden State to finish his career.
He’d be a 45-minute flight from Los Angeles, which is less time than it took him to commute from his Brentwood home to the downtown arena when he played for the Lakers.
You think he’d want to go to the East Coast and be a five-hour flight from his family?
I don’t see that happening. Sorry, Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia.
His third free-agency decision is bigger than basketball. It’s about his happiness. And that’s inextricably tied to being close to his daughter.
LeBron James and his family have been in Los Angeles for nearly a decade together. Getty Images
On the Fourth of July, James revealed that he had a conversation with Zhuri.
“I pulled her to the side, and I was like, ‘Baby, I don’t want you to hear from nobody else, but I won’t be playing for the Lakers next year,'” James said at Fanatics Fest. “I will be playing somewhere else. So, I won’t be home all the time. And you may not have an answer right now — you can give me an answer now, you can wait, you can write it down. Just want to know how you’re feeling about it because you mean a lot to me.”
James has always taken fatherhood very seriously. His dad was absent. He vowed to be different.
His dream was to become the first NBA player to play alongside his son. After his first season alongside Bronny in 2024-25, he was asked where that ranked among his accomplishments, including four championships and four MVP Awards.
“Number one, for sure,” he said. “That’s easy. It’s not even close.”
Staying in California and playing north in the Bay Area with Steph Curry and the Warriors could give James the best of both worlds. Getty Images
As for Zhuri?
She has him wrapped around her finger.
He brought her on the first father-daughter trip of his career in February when the Lakers played the Warriors. They visited Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. They went out to dinner.
She was on the court with him as he warmed up before the game. She made a trick shot behind her back from the foul line and then gave her dad a high-five. She threw him a lob.
“It’s definitely softened me up,” James said of being a girl dad after the Lakers’ 129-101 win on Feb. 28. “So, it’s special to have her. You know, it’s a different type of love.”
A few months later, James posted on Instagram a Father’s Day card from Zhuri in which she praised him for being “steady, patient and always there when it mattered the most.” In the caption, James wrote that he “couldn’t hold” back the emotions.
James has hinted that next season might not be his last one. Currently, his top destinations are Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Minnesota.
But it’s hard to imagine James choosing anywhere besides the Warriors — and not because he’d play alongside the greatest shooter of all time on the league’s modern-day dynasty.
“People are like, hurry up and make a goddamn decision, Bron,” he said at Fanatics Fest. “It’s like, OK, it’s not just about the team.
“… I won’t hold you guys up too much longer,” he said. “But the family portion is huge for me.”
James wants to win his fifth ring. He wants to enjoy his teammates. He wants the end of his illustrious career to be meaningful.
There are many considerations.
But at the top of that list is an 11-year-old girl whom he loves more than anything.
The back-to-back American League MVP underwent imaging on Wednesday that showed healing in his rib, but not enough to clear him for baseball activities just yet.
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He and the team were still waiting to hear back from a rib specialist to see if he might be able to get the green light to at least begin some upper-body exercises, which would represent a minor victory since has not been able to do any of them for the six weeks since he was diagnosed with the injury.
As of Friday afternoon, though, Judge remained in a holding pattern as the Yankees opened the second half of the season without him — as they will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
“Definitely a positive sign that we’re seeing some healing,” Judge said. “Part of it’s healing, the other part of it’s still trying to bridge together. I think that’s what we’re trying to wait and see if we can get some confirmation of what we can start doing.”
Aaron Judge (99) hits a walk-off two-run home run in the 9th inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Judge indicated was “definitely” confident he will still be able to get back on the field this year – “I don’t see why not,” he said, which manager Aaron Boone echoed.
“I feel good about the fact that he’ll be back,” Boone said. “But it’s just a matter of when.”
Yankees Aaron Judge reacts on the dugout fence during the sixth inning when the New York Yankees played the Minnesota Twins Saturday, July 4, 2026 at Yankee Stadium Robert Sabo for NY Post
It remains to be seen how long Judge would need to get himself ready to play in games once he is cleared to resume baseball activities, though at this point, getting back at some point in August might be wishful thinking.
GM Brian Cashman had cautioned last week that the Yankees did not expect Judge’s rib to be fully healed yet. But they were at least hoping he would be cleared to do more than the lower-body exercises he has been limited to since the start of June.
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That said, they do not want to push Judge too soon because if he were to suffer a setback, it could potentially jeopardize his ability to play again this season.
“[There were a] couple weeks that were tough, really couldn’t do a lot, but now we’re feeling 10 times better,” Judge said. “That was my big complaint, ‘Well if I’m feeling better, how about we start moving?’ But I think they just don’t want to start adding baseball activities and other stuff and all of a sudden we have a setback and it pushes everything back. I think they want to be sure it’s healing up the right way so we can get back as soon as we can.”
Asked if he would need the equivalent of spring training (six weeks) once he does start baseball activities, Judge indicated he was hoping for a shorter runway – including not wanting to “waste” at-bats in a rehab assignment, though skipping one altogether seems unlikely and it is still well off in the distance.
Before they opened the second half with a showdown series against the Dodgers, the Yankees were still waiting to hear back from Dr. Gregory Pearl – the same specialist they consulted with for the original diagnosis – to determine what Judge will be able to do in the coming days and when his next round of imaging would be. Since the beginning of June, he has mostly been limited to lower-body exercises like walking on the treadmill, and briefly riding an exercise bike before they “shied away from that.”
"Sometime around September 1st is probably a good guess. They (Yankees) wouldn't make one but that's my guess."@JonHeyman reacts to the latest injury update on Yankees captain Aaron Judge. pic.twitter.com/d3yk03N4Pb
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) July 17, 2026
In the meantime — with the Yankees entering Friday 18-19 without Judge and three games back of the Rays for the division lead — the painful waiting game continued.
“It’s been the worst,” Judge said. “I want to play. That’s why I’m here, that’s why I get paid, to play big games for the Yankees. Especially with the team we have, how special it is, how special this group is, I want to be a part of everything. It’s been tough, but we got a lot of great guys in this clubhouse that’ve been holding their own and kind of carrying the weight of this team. [Paul Goldschmidt], [Cody Bellinger], what they’ve been doing, Ben Rice, it’s been fun to watch.
Feb 25, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees infielder George Lombard Jr (96) hits a two-RBI double during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
Michael G. asks:The Reds seem to be falling out of the race. Would Stephenson make some some sense? He’s a free agent at year end and healthy.
Stephenson would, and right now I’d say he’s the fallback option if the Yankees can’t pry Ryan Jeffers or Hunter Goodman away from Minnesota or Colorado. It’s not a priority pick, because Stephenson’s offensive capacity is nowhere close to those two with just an 86 wRC+ this season, but when you compare that to what the Yankees have gotten out of their catchers it’s still an upgrade. The main reason that Stephenson could end up in pinstripes though is that the Rockies have been hesitant to include Goodman in trade talks because they see him as a building block towards getting out of the gutter, while the Twins have managed to stay in the playoff race despite hovering around .500 basically the whole season. Things could shift on either front, but if they both stand firm and the Yankees end up with neither of them then Stephenson becomes an option that the team more readily considers.
Darth_Lazarus asks: Given he’s had a month or so adjustment period before he starts hitting with every promotion, does it make sense to contemplate bringing up Lombard? Assuming he’d come up around the deadline would he have time to be ready for playoff pitching?
There’s been plenty of speculation about whether George Lombard Jr. will see the field in the Bronx this year, fueled in equal parts by his strong rise through the organization’s minor leagues as well as the lack of enthusiasm for the current shortstop options in José Caballero and Anthony Volpe. I think I’d be more gung-ho about the potential of Lombard making an impact on this year’s title hunt if he hadn’t gotten injured and missed the last month of playing time, because it looked like he’d turned a corner on Triple-A pitching and was starting to put the pieces together. Now he’ll need to get back into the rhythm again and absolutely rake in a short period of time to warrant a shot with enough time to adjust to the major league level, but to his credit his rehab games in Rookie ball have already gone swimmingly with a pair of homers in as many games. It’s not out of the realm of possibility, but it’s also a pretty significant gamble to mess with the development time of the organization’s top prospect when there are questions still to be answered about his contact rate that could cause major issues against major leaguers.
While there’s a narrow window for this timeline to work out, at the very least it’s not one inhibited by the Trade Deadline. The Yankees won’t be going out to get a shortstop from another team, and it’s also not likely that they’ll be looking for infield help anywhere that could impact this situation. Caballero and Volpe may not be inspiring choices to stick in the starting lineup, but they’re also far from the biggest problem with this roster — both are hitting to a 95 wRC+, just a shade below average in an offense that’s been far more feast or famine elsewhere, and while I sympathize with people who just simply have Anthony Volpe Fatigue at this point due to the occasional boneheaded play his defense overall has looked much closer to his first couple of seasons than his terrible play last year. The onus is on Lombard to impress enough to make his way onto the roster rather than an outright need that has to be addressed here and now, and if he does then there’s a world where his high ceiling plays a part in New York’s October baseball lasting longer than a week or so.
BetweenthePinstripes asks:Has the league shifted towards being more aggressive with promoting younger prospects to the big leagues? If so, are there (relatively) new financial incentives for teams to accelerate a prospect’s development?
We’re sticking with Volpe as the topic here for a minute, as this question was asked in tandem to a response that Derek Jeter had over the All-Star break when asked about the Yankee shortstop. You can read the full comments that Jeter gave here, but I’ll highlight the ones that were pulled out for this question in particular.
“I think as a young player, it’s obvious the Yankees have made a commitment to Anthony….They’re committed to allowing him to continue developing at the major league level. At times, fans get frustrated watching that, but every player goes through it. Every player has gone through bumps in the road. Most of the time, those bumps happen in the minor leagues….It’s tough to go through growing pains at the major league level.“
There are new incentives for top prospects in particular, namely the Prospect Promotion Incentive baked into the last CBA that prompts teams to start promising rookies right away on their Opening Day rosters instead of stashing them in the minors long enough to earn another year of control over their contracts. The return is that they’ll be rewarded with a draft pick if said players win Rookie of the Year or finish in the top three for an MVP or Cy Young Award before they become arbitration-eligible.
The Yankees have not gotten lucky enough to qualify for these picks, though you could argue that this clause in the CBA has still brought about a wave of teams leaning on prospects earlier than expected as the team brought up Cam Schlittler midway through last year and had Ben Rice debut midseason the year before that despite not having had significant time spent down in the minors. Neither one of those players were considered to be contenders to become the players they are now, but they got their shot because the team wasn’t as concerned with holding out for team control as much as they were seeking help for a sudden hole the team needed to fill. It could’ve easily been a journeyman fill-in or a Triple-A mainstay that could’ve been elevated for the starts needed at the time, and that would’ve been the old Yankees’ operating procedure, but the door is more open now than it felt a decade ago. Whether that constitutes a faster pace than there has ever been or if it’s just a course correction from how conservative teams have been with prospects prior to the past few years is a different conversation, but there’s definitely been a notable enough shift.
Jul 17, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Griffin Jax (22) walks to the dugout after being relieved during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Welcome back from the All-Star Break, everyone! Hopefully the Rays are well-rested and recharged, because their second half is getting started with a doubleheader against the Red Sox. In the afternoon game, we had Griffin Jax on the mound for the Rays up against Jake Bennett for the Sox.
Jonathan Aranda got a one-out walk in the first, but he was the Rays’ only baserunner for the inning and they left him stranded. Jax did turn it around, though, getting the Red Sox out in order in the home half.
The Rays went 1-2-3 in the top of the second. In the bottom of the inning, things started to go badly for Jax almost immediately. Caleb Durbin singled, then Masataka Yoshida doubled, putting to runs in scoring position. With one out, a Jarren Duran sac fly scored the first run of the game for the Sox. Carlos Narvaez followed that with a single to score one more. Jax did get the final out of the inning, but the Red Sox were up 2-0 after two.
The Rays went three-up, three-down in the third. Anthony Seigler started the home half with a single, but was eliminated in a force out off the bat of Ceddanne Rafaela. Rafaela then stole second. Two outs followed, though, getting the Rays out of the jam.
Junior Caminero proved he’s feeling just fine after his ASG injury with a one-out single in the fourth. Unfortunately the next two batters were out in order to leave him stranded. Yoshida came out swinging in the home half, with a leadoff home run. Jax did collect the next three outs in order, thankfully.
If you need baserunners to score runs, the Rays weren’t doing a great job of catching up on the Red Sox’s lead. They went 1-2-3 in the fifth. In the home half, Seigler got a one-out single, but the Red Sox left him stranded.
Nick Fortes got a free bag in the sixth, getting hit by a pitch to start the inning, but the Rays went down in order after him. While Jax had been doing a creditable job of staying out of trouble through most of the game, in the bottom of the sixth, things really fell off the tracks. Durbin was hit by a pitch to start the inning, then Yoshida singled. Romy Gozalez walked to load the bases. A single by Duran scored two runs. That was it for Jax, who was replaced by Chris Roycroft, but the bleeding didn’t stop. Narvaez singled to score one more run. And then Tsung-Che Cheng singled, bringing one more runner home. Seigler grounded into a double play, which the Rays desperately needed, but then Rafaela doubled to score yet another run. Wilyer Abreu was intentionally walked, but it didn’t help anything because Durbin singled, scoring another run. By the time the Rays got the final out of the inning, the Red Sox were up 9-0. After accounting for the runners on base when he was pulled, Jax’s final line for the game was 5.0 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR on 85 pitches. Rough times.
Alec Gamboa replaced Bennett in the seventh, and he continued the trend of getting the Rays out in order. With two outs in the home half, Narvaez hit a solo home run. The Rays managed to stop the bleeding there, but with a 10-run lead for the Red Sox, perhaps they should just start saving their energy for the evening game.
Taylor Walls got a one-out double in the eighth, but the Rays left him out there, and no runs scored. The Rays opted to save their bullpen by the bottom of the eighth, bringing in Ben Williamson to take on the Sox. He got the first two outs before giving up a single to Abreu on a 44mpg Eephua pitch, which is just about the funniest sentence I’ll write today. I love a position player pitching. Durbin then singled as well. No runs scored, though, so Williamson might have been one of the most effective pitchers of the game.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Ryan Vilade squeaked in a single, but it wouldn’t be enough to mount a comeback. The Rays fell to the Sox, but hopefully in game two the results will be a little different.
Nothing would better indicate the change that 2026 has wrought on the Central Division than Kansas City selling off Michael Wacha to the White Sox. | (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
At the midseason break, the 50-45 White Sox find themselves in the most ideal place one could ask for: Tied for first with Guardians, in one of the weakest MLB divisions — second to only the AL West by a couple of games, and with their starters all healthy. For a team seeking to finish better than .500 with a manageable path to the postseason, Chicago is finally poised to be buyers at the trade deadline on August 3.
To outlast the Guardians and fend off the Twins and Tigers, the Sox must amend their starting pitching deficit. The starters sit in the middle of the pack with a 4.32 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and .245 batting average allowed. While those figures seem acceptable, the club has allowed the third-most runs among winning teams in the American League (419). The culprit lies in a quasi five-man rotation that has yet to produce a reliable ace at home and on the road. While Davis Martin occupies that spot at Rate Field, his 4.72 ERA, .289 batting average allowed and 21 walks away from home nullifies his Cy Young candidacy.
Luckily, there are a handful of starting pitchers who can offer decent value before the leaves start to turn.
Michael Wacha, Royals Affordable rental arms are hard to come by, but Wacha fits the bill. His modest 3.77 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 2.2 WAR are attractive, but his value jumps when factoring in his 12 quality starts and working relationship with White Sox pitching coach Zach Bove. Wacha’s dramatic drops in efficiency and accuracy are worth the tradeoff for his nearly 15 years of pitching expertise and upside he offers for two, or potentially three months of service. The Sox love dealing with the Royals, so why not get another trade done?
Foster Griffin, Nationals Griffin is expected to be a hot commodity on the trade block. The impending free agent came back from a three-year hiatus playing for Japan’s Yomiuri Giants looking like a brand-new pitcher. Griffin went from a frustrating reliever, to put it nicely, to a more polished starter, earning a 2.77 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 109 strikeouts while pitching six or more innings in more than half his starts. Aside from two really poor outings, Griffin is one of the biggest stories of Washington’s rebuild under its new front office. The Sox must pursue Griffin if they’re looking to be serious competitors for the remainder of the season.
Logan Webb, Giants If the Sox are looking to push their chips in this season, Webb wouldn’t be a bad option. Although the Giants will command a higher price tag for the 2023 NL Cy Young runner-up, Webb’s current pitching and resume speaks for itself. He holds a 3.44 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP, and his complete game against the Marlins is a strong indicator that the awful Giants haven’t taken advantage of his prowess this season. The Sox may need to overpay in a league where three division leaders have a three-game lead on the third-place team, but Chicago shouldn’t be sparing a penny given the shortage of starters with contracts expiring this year.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 13: Jack Kayil #77 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on July 13, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Traditionally, the Las Vegas Summer League serves as a location for evaluating established young talent and first-round draft picks. Entering the summer, many assumed the Knicks’ 39th-overall selection, Jack Kayil, was your typical draft-and-stash prospect. Providing more fuel to that expectation, his name was absent from the initial summer league roster. While New York navigates the financial constraints of the second apron, having Kayil spend next season developing with ALBA Berlin made some sense.
Since then, the trajectory has changed. After securing a last-minute clearance from his team in Germany, Kayil touched down in Las Vegas, joined the SummerKnicks, and demonstrated a level of play that demands a reevaluation of his developmental timeline.
Though Kayil is young, he does not fit the traditional profile of a raw prospect you typically find in the second round. Having recently captured a German Bundesliga championship, he possesses a legitimate European resume.
In Game 5 of the finals against Bayern Munich, his mental toughness was on full display. Facing a 20-point halftime deficit, Kayil conducted a historic comeback, scoring 10 points in the final six minutes of play. It might not be at NBA Finals Game 4 level, but it is still impressive. That level of composure in high-pressure situations is a necessary trait for any guard looking to make their mark in the NBA. Kayil possesses a willingness to take command of an offense when it matters most, similar to another point guard we know well.
Of course, translating European success to the NBA Summer League is never a guarantee. However, Kayil’s performance lacks the typical rookie turbulence witnessed in mid-July. Though the Knicks struggled mightily on offense in his debut against the Spurs, Kayil served as a stabilizing force. Establishing a controlled pace and showcasing impressive poise, he posted a respectable 12 points and three assists.
Elevating his game even further against Detroit, Kayil recorded 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting while connecting on three attempts behind the arc. Defensively, he successfully anchored the point-of-attack defense, registering a team-high 3 steals. Much to the enjoyment of everyone, Kayil operates with the tempo and physical maturity of a seasoned guard.
It is worth noting that his performance has not been without flaws. Thursday night against the Warriors provided a reality check, losing to Golden State 87-77. Kayil struggled against the opposing length and deeper roster, ending the game with just 4 points on 2-of-9 shooting. Still, he found a way to impact the game. Contributing five rebounds and four assists over 29 minutes, Kayil showed an understanding of how to affect the game when his shot is heavily contested. This quality alone fits the mold of the Knicks’ championship DNA.
Kayil’s fit with New York’s current roster is intriguing. Offensively, his ability to navigate the pick-and-roll and execute in the clutch projects well. Still, the front office must have enough confidence in his foundation to successfully run the second unit and manage drop coverage. Defensively, he brings point-of-attack intensity, which is a must under Mike Brown. To earn minutes, he must succeed in defending the perimeter and navigating screens. Kayil’s three steals against Detroit show the exact type of disruption Brown’s system demands. If his instincts translate against NBA-caliber talent, Kayil could become an effective, two-way backup point guard.
— Thorsten Andratschke (@ThortschMann) July 17, 2026
Despite his potential NBA readiness, keeping Kayil in New York for the upcoming season comes with challenges. Of course, we cannot escape discussing the new CBA and the second apron, as they do complicate matters.
If the Knicks choose to offer Kayil a two-way contract, NBA regulations prohibit them from paying his overseas buyout. According to the rules, the buyout would have to be executed strictly between the player and ALBA Berlin. Yes, Kayil would have to independently pay for his buyout in order to accept a two-salary. Truthfully, this financial decision is unlikely.
While a two-roster spot may be available, the Knicks likely lack the cap space to offer their 20-year-old guard a standard NBA contract. That contract is the only legal way New York can cover his international buyout. Of course, this dampens things a little bit.
New York currently possesses a highly talented guard with professional championship experience whose NBA arrival may be blocked by cap constraints. Obviously, whether those constraints should be real is up for debate, but Dolan and company have made it quite clear they have no interest in entering the second apron. Unless Leon Rose successfully maneuvers the cap, or Dolan has a change of heart (unlikely), the Knicks will have to stash a player who looks NBA-ready.
Right when he was hired, Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes explained that he wouldn’t be the kind of GM who buys high and sells low. He explained that he was a firm believer that players, once in the NHL, aren’t finished products and can keep improving. We’ve seen it with the likes of Cole Caufield, who has improved by leaps and bounds since graduating to the NHL and working under Martin St-Louis; the same can be said for Nick Suzuki, whose point production has skyrocketed without sacrificing his defensive game, which has improved as well.
One player who hasn’t improved, though, and that may mainly be down to injuries, is Kirby Dach. When Hughes sacrificed Alexander Romanov at the 2022 draft to get the first-round pick he flipped to the Chicago Blackhawks to acquire Dach, he was hoping that the Habs’ coaching staff could make him reach his full potential and become a big-bodied second-line center. That hasn’t happened; far from it.
Dach had a tough start to the playoffs; he was responsible for the Canadiens failing to take a 2-0 lead in the series and faced serious online backlash after that icing. With fans and media alike suggesting that he should be scratched from the lineup, St-Louis came out and stood by him, saying he would never give up on a player that hadn’t given up on himself. Dach had a great bounce-back game, but by the end of the playoffs, he was on the wing of the fourth line.
With his injury history and his struggles on the ice at the end of the playoffs, Dach’s value is at an all-time low. Not only has he failed to show he’s a center in the NHL, but at times he looks nonchalant on the ice. He’s not playing a hard game; he doesn’t come into the corners with speed to finish his checks and get the puck back. Even if he was a third-overall pick full of potential once upon a time, the last four years have taken the shine off him. While there’s a belief that there’s always a GM out there who thinks they can turn things around for a player, after all, Alex Galchenyuk had a second chance with six other teams after the Canadiens (he even had two kicks at the can with the Arizona Coyotes), it doesn’t seem to be the case for Dach, not right now. It must be said that Galchenyuk didn’t have Dach’s injury history, however.
At this stage, the forward is not only a player who has failed to reach his potential but also one who is injury-prone. He needs to prove that he can stay healthy and be a good player on the ice. Those are not great selling points. Right now, Dach is a throw-in for a larger deal; he cannot be the main piece to land a needle-moving player.
Given the fact that Hughes has been unable to strike a big deal to improve his roster, it’s not surprising that Dach is still a member of the Canadiens, but he has been given a stern warning. The fact that he was presented with a qualifying offer for a two-way contract speaks volumes about where he is in the organization right now, and so does the fact that he signed only a one-year contract.
While it’s not clear which of the two camps wanted a one-year deal, it doesn’t smell good. If the Canadiens only wanted to give him a one-year pact, it suggests they are getting ready to cut their losses on the player. They’re willing to pay him this year when his rights are still under team control, but unless things change dramatically, they don’t see him as a part of the team long-term. If Dach was the one who pushed for the one-year term, it suggests that he might have had his feathers ruffled by the two-way contract offer and will want to move on from the Canadiens once he becomes a UFA.
At the end of the 2024-25 season, in his exit interview, he was told that the organization wasn’t pleased with the physical form he showed up in at the start of camp and that he needed to do better. The qualifying offer he received means that the team wasn’t pleased with him this past season either, but it wasn’t ready to just let him walk away after investing assets to acquire him.
If he’s still with the Canadiens when the puck drops on the season, the Habs’ brass will simply be hoping that he can stay healthy and play in a way that will see him regain some value on the trade market. If the fact that he’ll be playing for a new contract and attempting to prove to the NHL that he belongs doesn’t motivate Dach to play well on both sides of the puck, I don’t know what will.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Alfredo Duno #16 of the Cincinnati Reds on the National League Team hits during the 2026 MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Each and every summer, the MLB All Star Futures Game features rosters loaded with prospect talent representing both the American League and National League. This year, that was no different, as top catching prospect Alfredo Duno repped the Cincinnati Reds in the event which took place at some point during the myriad happenings surrounding the All Star Game itself.
Did you get to watch it? Did you even hear when it was supposed to be played?
Instead of creating a showcase for the game the way MLB does for the Home Run Derby on the Monday before the Game itself on Tuesday, it was buried as a noon first pitch on Sunday, July 12th against a full slate of actual MLB games as teams wrapped up the first halves of their season. It was held to just a 7 inning exhibition format, and it was impossible for you to have watched it and watched your MLB team at the same time.
Why won’t MLB create a showcase for the game itself? Perhaps hold it as a Sunday Night Baseball showcase since that time slot wasn’t occupied by any other baseball-adjacent feature. You could even run it on Wednesday after the ASG itself!
Point being, the national question posed to baseball fans this week during MLB Reacts was whether the Futures Game should be showcased more during All Star week, and an overwhelming 85% of fans think it absolutely should be.
Duno, one of Cincinnati’s best prospects in years, started the game for the National League and went 0 for 2 (with one of those being a 400 foot fly out to CF that just missed clearing the wall). Unless you were willing to abandon watching the Reds for the final time before a four-day break for that opportunity, you didn’t get to see him do that.
It’s time for Rob Manfred to use the already-excellent Futures Game concept in a way that both showcases the players involved and provides a clearer path for fans to enjoy it.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is raring to go with the Heat.
The two-time MVP, acquired by Miami in a blockbuster trade last month, told ESPN that his motivation level is “at a million percent” following the deal.
“It’s a place I feel like brings pressure, and I thrive under pressure. It brings the best out of me,” he said.
“I’m excited to be coached by [Erik Spoelstra]. I’m excited to be around the city. I understand the fans are very passionate, but right now, I’m hungry to win. I want to win and I will do whatever it takes for me to win.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo is highly motivated to bring another champion ship to Miami IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Antetokounmpo was acquired by the Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and a second-round pick.
His former Bucks teammate, Bobby Portis, also went with him to South Beach.
Now, Antetokounmpo, 31, will look to become the latest star to bring a Larry O’Brien trophy to Miami.
“You walk through the hallways and you see the history and you see the players that have been a part of this organization and things that they’ve done,” he said. “I want to make all the moves that they’ve made worth it.”
Antetokounmpo will suit up in Miami for his 14th NBA season — and on the back of a disappointing few years in Milwaukee.
Following the team’s Finals win in 2021, the Bucks never made it past the second round of the playoffs, and they missed the postseason altogether last year with a 32-50 record.
The two-time MVP was traded from the Bucks in a blockbuster deal this summer AP Photo/Marta Lavandier
Antetokounmpo, though, still had a strong individual season, and Portis believes his “hungry” teammate is ready to bounce back.
“Obviously last year, probably not the best year for any one of us. We didn’t make the playoffs. It was kind of injury-riddled last year,” Portis said.
“Obviously the back and forth with getting traded, not getting traded, then get shut down by the team. So I think he has a lot of fuel to the fire and I think the [Miami] fans will be in for a treat.”
The Heat missed the playoffs last year and were eliminated in the first round during the 2024-25 and 2023-24 playoffs.
However, they’re just three years removed from their trip to the Finals in 2023 — and they’ll hope to get back there with Antetokounmpo.
Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Wendell Pierce on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“I’m almost done.”
It’s a weird feeling that has been simmering in my head these past few months. It has grown louder with each passing day. This life is a funny old life.
I could never have imagined in April 2021 in Oakland that five and a half years later I would stand on the precipice of the goal: to see the Dodgers play in every MLB stadium… and somehow Tokyo. It’s understandably been a roller coaster week.
I meant to write a follow-up field report for Chicago, but I realized I’d said just about everything I needed to in the Guide Entry. I’ll update the Guide Entry, but I did finally find a decent seat at this ballpark. The problem is that the solution is what I will call the Daikin Park Solution: a club seat is really the only way to go.
Having to shell out $200-400 per game ticket is not a solution. It’s a joke. When spending that much per game is the only option, the real best option is to stay at home. The spot I had picked for the series finale seemed promising until people showed up; then the frequent comings and goings blocked the action.
You don’t tug on Superman’s cape
On this eve of completing the MLB circuit, I want to address a question I have gotten this year.
I am generally not mean to anyone. However, I do have infinitely less sympathy for Blue Jays fans for a simple reason: I have never seen an organization or fanbase lean so hard into coming second. Yes, the Dodgers are probably overdoing it with Game 7 bobbleheads. In case you missed it, “The Catch” is finally coming to bobblehead form this September. Hang it in the Louvre.
Are we on the eve of getting a Justin Wrobleski marching towards the plate with arms extended bobblehead? Honestly, I hope not, because what would the next 2025 World Series bobblehead be? Justin Dean “Hands Up”? “The Legend of” Will Klein? “Shirtless” Clayton Kershaw?
As for our northern cousins, a combination of 50th anniversary gear (very cool) and AL Pennant gear. Imagine if the Dodgers had followed the same tack in 2018; the mockery would be loud and deserved. After 2017 broke me, there was a period of loss when the Dodgers felt so close yet so far. “Yu Darvish laying an egg in Game 7” became a running joke, until it came out that the Houston Astros cheated, which retraumatized me all over again.
However, I have never once said that the Dodgers should be awarded the 2017 title. Even with the Astros’ cheating, the Dodgers were a Kenley Jansen meatball (Game 2), a Clayton Kershaw not listening to his coaches (Game 5), or a Yu Darvish turkey (Game 7) away from winning.
But at the end of the day, three is less than four.
Vacatur was the appropriate remedy because the Astros screwed over a bunch of teams along the way, including the Yankees — unless you were the disinterested Commissioner trying to turn the page. The video of the Commissioner calling the trophy a piece of metal is hard to find, but sometimes life hands out a gift.
With this history in mind, hearing fans try to justify the 2025 Jays is personally irritating. I acknowledge it’s my burden to bear. It turns out that if you yell at me for four hours, I’m going to be a bit cross about it and let it color how magnanimous I feel.
Losing in the World Series stinks. I actually get it. The only thing worse is watching the team struggle itself back up the hill to lose even faster. I never watched Game 7 of 2017 or even knew its ending until seeing it by accident after the 2020 title. I had no such luxury in 2018.
I maintain the position that the toughest opponent the Dodgers faced in 2025 was the Philadelphia Phillies. That series could have, and probably would have, lasted longer if it had been Best of 7. This acknowledgment is not a request to lengthen the Division Series round to Best of 7 (please no), but rather an appreciation of the effort it took for the Phillies to make Shohei Ohtani look mortal.
All that drama, only to end on a play Bill Buckner would grimace at.
All the ink that has been spent on Dodgers/Padres could have gone to a much more interesting matchup we were denied. Sadly, it is a topic for another day, after I have returned from the City of Brotherly Love.
To be fair to the Blue Jays, the World Series we got last year was entertaining. However, I wouldn’t necessarily call it “good.” Games 1, 4, and 5 were duds; not because the Dodgers lost, but the outcomes were pretty much set from the get-go. Watching an old team be tired is generally not entertaining, especially if you have spent a lot of money to be there in person.
Game 2 was a tightrope, a tense, entertaining affair where Yoshinobu Yamamoto outdueled Kevin Gausman.
Game 3 was a classic, mostly due to its length and the sheer comical nature of parts of it. Had manager John Schneider not been so overly aggressive with pinch-running, the Blue Jays would have stood a better chance of winning it. Instead, the Jays fielded essentially a Spring Training lineup, which ultimately was their undoing that night.
Baserunning blunders sealed Games 6 and 7, which were 36 hours of pure baseball cinema.
Yes, the Blue Jays outhit and outpitched the Dodgers overall on a statistical level that Series, so you know who else recently outhit and outpitched the Dodgers overall in a Fall Classic only to lose? The hosts of the Dodgers’ next three games: The New York Yankees.
For as entitled as Yankees fans are generally thought to be, none of them went around two winters ago saying: “The Yankees outplayed the Dodgers and should have won that Series!” To be fair, 21 minutes of generational trauma, laying bare the worst things anyone has thought about the 2024 Yankees, is a lot harder to swallow than Jeff Hoffman coughing one up to Miguel Rojas.
As the Dodgers return to the Bronx for the first time since that fabled night in 2024, I face a solemn truth that has bothered me. In all my travels, the only team that I have yet to see play in person is the New York Yankees. I had the opportunity to go to Games 4 and 5 of the 2024 World Series, but I held back because I would have had to overextend myself.
To celebrate the Dodgers’ return to the Bronx, let us relive a bit of lost playoff coverage we ran out of time to publish two winters ago on the eve of the Dodgers’ return to the Bronx. The locals will likely be loud and eager to “welcome” the Dodgers back to New York. As a fun exercise, I thought it would be neat to annotate what never got to print with thoughts from now.
The Bronx Flop
“Recently,” Joe Kelly and Miguel Rojas have publicly confirmed what was apparent on the field in this World Series: the Yankees had no business being there. Normally, when the playoffs end, I generally stop paying attention to what the Dodgers say about their opponents. [Author’s Note: Yes, early 2025-me would probably judge and mock 2026-me.]
But unlike in recent years, the Dodgers opened up a bit more than expected. Dave Roberts called the NLDS the Dodgers’ biggest challenge in the playoffs, and that that series was the World Series:
“From my perspective, that was the World Series.”
Dave Roberts said the Padres were the Dodgers biggest challenge in the playoffs.
That’s mighty big talk from someone who was not on the roster at any point in October.
With the second title in four years [Author’s Note: Out of date], with the first full-season title since the hallowed year of 1988, I let a lot of stuff slide, including when Mookie Betts was manhandled in Game 4 of the World Series. This fact remains true, even though I felt like a scold during that playoff run.
When someone interfered with Gleyber Torres’ ball in Game 2, Dodger fans around him and watching at home justifiably reacted in horror. To their credit, when this inattentive fan was kicked out of the stadium, the crowd did not give him adulation or high-fives.
The following day, as a barometer, I showed the footage to my mother, who was largely ignorant of what was going on. Her outright horror was palpable, not just on Betts’ behalf, who handled himself as well as could be expected, but for the game itself. [Author’s Note: At the time, I did not know that Betts was her favorite Dodger, which explains a bit reaction-wise.]
Even after the World Series, on November 6th, Max Muncy was still pretty heated about the incident.
Max Muncy on why consequences need to be harsh for the Yankees fans that grabbed Mookie Betts. pic.twitter.com/yh4f63OEnX
Aaron Boone with his thoughts on the Mookie Betts incident:
"Not good.There's no place for that. Come here, cheer, root for your team, whatever. Should never have your hands on anyone. Not okay" pic.twitter.com/jNBxOxWzyg
And as much as I thought I would be able to move on, I cannot let this Series pass without commenting on the fact that one of my favorite actors was literally chased from Yankee Stadium.
The locals messed with The Bunk
Most of you do not know the name Wendell Pierce. Pierce is a distinguished actor from television and the stage. Pierce is widely regarded as the epitome of style and class. Pierce’s most famous role is arguably Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire. Finding a safe-for-work clip of Pierce as Bunk that was not a spoiler was a gargantuan task.
Pierce happens to be a fan of both the Yankees and the Dodgers and was in the enviable position of being able to attend games in both Los Angeles and New York, wearing the home team’s gear to enjoy this World Series.
I live/work in NY. I live/work in LA. This World Series is a win/win for me because I love both teams. I’m rooting for LA at Dodgers stadium. I’m rooting for the NY in Yankee Stadium. Last night is proof this is going to be a great World Series. pic.twitter.com/il9IVfGKpf
While some may scoff at having both a National League and American League team to root for, good for him. I instantly thought of a friend of mine who is both a fan of the Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays and who treated the 2020 series as an invitation to anxiety.
I see someone in that dilemma as having a Sophie’s Choice — you can only pick one. But Pierce’s actions say otherwise, and frankly, good for him. Rather than letting this titan of acting enjoy his moment, he was accosted. Imagine my rage when he tweeted the following from Game 5 at Yankee Stadium.
Unfortunately I just left the Yankees game because I was talking to a Dodgers fan and people were throwing things at me. Unruly, obnoxious people can ruin everything. The worst experience ever. The game and experience is of no significance now. The spirit of sports ends with the…
Between the stupidity of Game 4 and the classlessness of Game 5, it would be easy to paint all Yankee fans with a broad brush. But to do so would be wrong. What frustrates me the most is that Yankee Stadium is one of the four remaining stadiums I have yet to visit for True Blue LA. [Author’s Note: Well, two now.]
I thought I could not dread visiting a place more than Houston, but considering everything that happened, the Bronx has joined that ignominious list. [Author’s Note: For the record, Houston was just as insufferable as I feared as I feared it would be. Score one for past-me as to foresight. Whether I have a better time is a question we will answer this weekend. Until I check in from the road!]
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 12: A detailed view of a microphone with the FanDuel Sports Network logo during an interview after the game between the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks at Little Caesars Arena on December 12, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
30.5. It’s a number Phoenix Suns fans became very familiar with throughout last season because it represented the team’s preseason over/under for wins. Sure, it was a difficult number to project. Phoenix had spent the summer reshaping its roster, trading away Kevin Durant and waiving Bradley Beal. The projection was rooted as much in uncertainty as it was in the perceived talent walking out the door.
The Suns didn’t merely clear that number. They obliterated it. Phoenix surpassed its preseason win total by 15 games, earning its 31st victory on February 3 with more than two months still remaining in the regular season. I believe Degeneration X has a phrase that could be directed towards the sportsbooks.
And now the line has been set for the 2026–27 Suns.
After an offseason in which the team exchanged Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Amir Coffey, and Isaiah Livers for Miles Bridges, Luke Kennard, rookie Koa Peat, and Pat Spencer, the projected FanDuel win total sits at 38.5.
What’s the Suns over/under win total for the Phoenix Suns per @FDSportsbook?
According to the sportsbooks, the Suns are expected to finish seven wins worse than they did a season ago. You can point to several reasons. Maybe there’s a belief that the Western Conference got stronger, although I don’t necessarily agree with that. Maybe there’s a perception that the Suns got worse, and I definitely don’t agree with that.
So 38.5 becomes the new number. The new benchmark. The latest expectation for Phoenix to exceed. Because the market is saying the Suns are a sub .500 team, something only the bottom six teams in the Western Conference accomplished last season. Maybe I’m naive. I simply don’t see it.
Of course, sportsbooks aren’t trying to predict the future. They’re trying to balance action, and perception plays a role in that. Phoenix still carries the baggage of recent disappointments, while other teams are generating offseason buzz through splashier moves. That’s fine. The Suns spent last season outperforming expectations instead of chasing them. If this roster stays healthy and continues to build on the identity it established a year ago, 38.5 feels less like a ceiling and more like another number waiting to be left in the rearview mirror.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Detail of the World Series logo outside of Chase Field before Game Four between the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on October 31, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Say what you like about the extra wild-card, it has certainly made things interesting. There’s really only a handful of teams in the NL who are out of the picture. Five (the Rockies, Giants, Mets, Reds and Nationals) currently have playoff odds below four percent, according to Fangraphs. Everyone else is at least in double digits, with the Diamondbacks sitting at 24%. There’s 66 games left, and still a lot to play for, as the second half of the season kicks off tonight, with the D-backs taking on the Cardinals at Chase Field.
Arizona currently sits on a record of 49-47, two and a half games back of the Marlins for the third wild-card spot in the National League. The Pirates and those Cardinals are also ahead of the Diamondbacks, so winning this opening series after the break becomes doubly important. Not least because it’d give Arizona any potential season series tiebreaker against St. Louis, having previously taken two of three at Busch Stadium (one game there was postponed, which will now be squeezed in next Thursday, an unscheduled stop as the D-backs head from Phoenix to Washington).
It would also help make up GM Mike Hazen’s mind with regard to his philosophy as we approach August 3rd’s trade deadline, now little more than two weeks away. While Hazen’s contract runs through the end of 2028, with a club option for 2029, it does feel like the rest of this year may be his “crossing the Delaware” moment. [The silence on any contract extension for lame-duck manager Torey Lovullo seems telling] After making an unexpected run to the World Series in 2023, and Hazen being rewarded with club-record payrolls in 2024 and 2025, the team failed to reach the playoffs in either season, and the win total dropped from 89 to 80 wins last year. Failure again may prove fatal.
So what needs to happen for Arizona to avoid that, and return to the post-season for the first time since 2023? Here are five things which will factor into that. If they can address all of them successfully, I think they’ll be able to push their way back into the playoff picture. But that’s going to be considerably easier said than done.
1. Get production from first-base
Courtesy of Tim Tawa’s single-handed demolition job at Dodger Stadium, the D-backs no longer have the worst OPS at first-base by any MLB team in over a century. They’re now merely the worst team in the National League for over eighty years – the 1944 Boston Braves being the last such to post a figure below Arizona’s current .590. The good news is, things can hardly get any worse. But where the improvement will come from is less certain. Tyler Locklear has been called up, and was batting .313 for Reno over 54 games. But an .897 OPS is not all that for the PCL, and Locklear’s major-league performances have been lackluster. He may be a place-holder until Hazen trades for someone better.
2. Stabilize the rotation
At the start of the year, we were hoping to have Corbin Burnes back for the second half. That ain’t happening. Instead, we have Zac Gallen and Michael Soroka joining him on the IL, which has forced the team to give debuts to Jose Cabrera, who turned 24 in May, and the even younger Mitch Bratt, who celebrated his 23rd birthday a couple of weeks ago. Add in the struggles of Merrill Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt, and it doesn’t feel like a playoff rotation. By fWAR, Arizona’s starting pitching is 27th in the majors, mostly because their K-rate ranks dead last. Kelly and Pfaadt have looked better their last couple of outings, and that’s almost certainly going to be needed for the team to contend.
3. Staying centered
First base may have received all the criticism, but center hasn’t been much better at the plate: a .579 OPS there, ahead only of Cleveland. With Tommy Troy now joining Jordan Lawlar on the injured list, the options there become perilously thin. The fact Jorge Barrosa has made 65 appearances so far for Arizona, while batting .186, tells you all you need to know about the outfield situation for the D-backs. The return of Locklear may mean we see more Tawa in center. It’s another area where the bar is law for improvement. But while discussing the outfield, just moving to the right a bit, we could also do with Corbin Carroll getting out of his recent slump and returning to form.
4. Keep the Sewald intact
Overall, the Diamondbacks bullpen has been much improved, with their 4.00 ERA the lowest since 2018. But closer Paul Sewald has not been helping, with a 4.24 ERA which belies the fact he has 22 saves in 23 save opportunities. He had struggled in non-save situations (a 6.35 ERA across 14 appearances) and has shown an almost supernatural ability to shrink leads to one run before getting the final out. While those saves are in the books, it feels unsustainable. Since 2021, of the forty-one other closers with 20+ saves in the first half, only two had an ERA of even four.
5. Robust(ish) health
I’m not putting too much faith in the return of Burnes, Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk. They have all had layoffs of well over a year, and it’d be expecting too much for them immediately to regain their pre-injury form. What I am keeping my fingers crossed for, is an absence of any more significant injuries. There’s hardly a position on the diamond where I would feel fine, replacing a current everyday player with their backup. [Maybe 1B, because how low can you go?] The news that Geraldo Perdomo is getting cortisone injections in his wrist, does not inspire confidence. But it’s a long season, and by the end of it, just about everyone will be playing hurt. As long as they’re still playing…
To be frank, a one in four shot of the playoffs seems about right. It is about twice what it was on this date in 2025, although it feels like this version of the Diamondbacks has more glaring flaws. Still, after four days without baseball, I’m more than ready for the second half, and whatever it holds!
The Cubs resume the 2026 season against an American League team. The Cubs’ interleague record to date isn’t very good, just 11-15. That means there are 22 games remaining for the Cubs against AL teams, a reasonable number to improve that record! Let’s hope that improvement begins during this homestand, which is all against AL Central clubs, the Twins and Tigers.
For more on the Twins, here’s Benjamin Jones, manager of our SB Nation Twins site Twinkie Town.
When the Twins and Cubs met in July 2025, Minnesota was around .500 on the backs of strong starting pitching from Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, and the best bullpen in baseball but couldn’t muster enough offense to truly compete. Despite a similar record in 2026, things couldn’t be more different. Lopez is out for the season and the entire bullpen is gone after dealing away 2026 All-Stars Jhoan Duran, Louie Varland, and five other relievers a year ago, while the Twins have one of best lineups in baseball.
What’s different this time around is the direction and vibe of the team. Former Pirates manager Derek Shelton has brought a new energy to the squad that wasn’t always present under longtime manager Rocco Baldelli, which helped the young batters stick out some tough spells early in the season. Since June 12, the Twins are 17-10, fourth-best in MLB, and have won eight of nine series, with the only loss coming against the almighty Dodgers. Of course, the Cubs have the best record in baseball in that same span, but let’s not dwell on that part. Minnesota is right back in the playoff race and has a new controlling owner (albeit from the same Pohlad family) who has made it clear he’s willing to spend money to shore up their major holes.
And those holes are prevalent. The most glaring issue is the bullpen, which makes sense after the 2025 sell-off. Rookie Andrew Morris has been among the best relievers in the sport over the past two months since moving to the bullpen full time. Yoendrys Gomez, claimed off waivers from the Rays in May, has also been very good after tweaking his pitch mix with the Twins. Outside of that, there’s genuinely no one with a semblance of reliability. If they can get to the eighth with a lead, they’re solid, but those middle innings after Ryan, Taj Bradley, and Bailey Ober leave the game are where the Cubs should be able to feast.
On the other side, the Twins are led by Byron Buxton though he may miss this series as he went on the IL right before the All-Star break. Outside of Buck, there are no individual standouts, but pretty much everyone in the lineup has been a solid contributor. The overall numbers are still lackluster with a lot of slow starts, but since June 1, the Twins have 11 players with a wRC+ of at least 100, eight at 120+, and four (Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Victor Caratini, Josh Bell) at 150+. It’s a solid, deep lineup that is very scary when Buck and catcher Ryan Jeffers are healthy.
The main place they’re susceptible is against lefties, which has been an issue for a literal decade. Outside of Buxton and Jeffers, their best hitters are platoon lefties (Trevor Larnach, Kody Clemens) or switch hitters who are significantly worse from the right side (Bell, Caratini, Brooks Lee). Shelton will get aggressive with pinch hitters when lefties come out of the ‘pen, which opposing managers have used to their advantage to get Larnach and Clemens out of the lineup in the middle innings. Though, with the team currently carrying three catchers, that may be less of a strategy over the next few weeks. Either way, I would expect a heavy dose of lefty specialist, ex-Twin, and Minnesota native Caleb Thielbar, which I’m personally very happy about
Fun facts
The Cubs have played 23 previous games at home vs. the Twins, tied with the Royals for their second most at Wrigley Field against any American League team other than the White Sox, their guests for 76 games.
The Cubs are 14-9 at home vs. the Twins, for a winning percentage of .609. They have a higher percentage only when hosting the Angels (.625, 10-6), Blue Jays (.636, 7-4) and Mariners (.643, 9-5).
Against all AL teams, the Cubs are 309-292, .514, overall and 162-138, .540, at home. But this year, they are just 11-15, .423, overall and 4-7, .363, at home.
The Cubs are 24-22 in all games vs. the Twins. They lost two of three at Minnesota last year, after having won two of three at home in 2024.
The Cubs swept three games vs. the Twins at Wrigley twice, in 2001 and 2018. They are 3-5 in three series there since then.
The Cubs are playing well. As noted above, so are the Twins — who, amazingly enough, are tied for the AL’s third wild card spot even though they are a game under .500.
The Twins have won nine of their last 12 road games so the Cubs should not look past them. Still, I think the Cubs should win two of three here.
Up next
The Cubs host the Detroit Tigers in a three-game series at Wrigley Field beginning Monday evening.
