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Deadspin | Hunter Dobbins set for Cardinals debut vs. Pirates, Paul Skenes  Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images   Hunter Dobbins will go up against a formidable opposite number in his Cardinals debut on Thursday afternoon when St. Louis opposes the host Pittsburgh Pirates.  The 26-year-old right-hander will face the Pirates’ ace, reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes (4-1, 2.48 ERA).  St. Louis has won the first three contests of the four-game series after holding on for a 5-4 victory on Thursday night, which ended with Nathan Church leaping at the left field wall to snare Nick Gonzales’ long drive with a runner on.  Dobbins will be activated from the injured list to make a spot start with St. Louis in the team’s stretch of 17 games in 17 days. Dobbins has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis, where he went 3-0 with a 4.37 ERA in five starts.  The Texas Tech product is set to make his first major league appearance since last July, when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox and tore his right ACL during a fielding play. That injury and an elbow strain limited him to 61 innings as a rookie in 2025.  Dobbins will be trying to follow an outstanding start by Andre Pallante on Wednesday night, in which he allowed a run and five hits over six innings.  Dobbins went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA, 17 walks and 45 strikeouts in 13 games (11 starts) for the Red Sox last year.  The Cardinals obtained Dobbins and two other pitching prospects when they traded Willson Contreras to Boston in December.  Dobbins faced only two of Pittsburgh’s current players last season. Jake Mangum singled against him as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Ryan O’Hearn went 0-for-2 vs. Dobbins while playing for the Baltimore Orioles.   Skenes, who has 30 strikeouts and a 0.72 WHIP in 29 innings, is coming off a 6-0 win over the host Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in which he took a perfect game into the seventh. Jake Bauers’ two-out groundball single broke up the quest for perfection.  Skenes had to settle for seven innings of one-hit, scoring ball. He struck out a season-best seven, walked none and threw a season-high 93 pitches.  “That’s the best I’ve ever seen from anyone, I think,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game.  Opponents are hitting .141 against Skenes this season. He held foes to a .198 average while winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a .199 average in his Cy Young campaign last season.  “I think sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he came up two years ago and he’s in his third season in the big leagues,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “He’s continuing to get better, which is amazing considering what he’s already done in the game.”  Even so, Skenes has yet to defeat St. Louis in his short career. Despite a 2.39 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings over six starts against the Cardinals, Skenes has a 0-4 record in those contests. St. Louis has only managed 27 hits with seven walks against him.  Though his try for a game-winning walk-off home run was foiled by Church, Gonzales did extend his hitting streak to 10 games with a single earlier Wednesday night.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Hunter #Dobbins #set #Cardinals #debut #Pirates #Paul #Skenes

Deadspin | Hunter Dobbins set for Cardinals debut vs. Pirates, Paul Skenes
Deadspin | Hunter Dobbins set for Cardinals debut vs. Pirates, Paul Skenes  Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images   Hunter Dobbins will go up against a formidable opposite number in his Cardinals debut on Thursday afternoon when St. Louis opposes the host Pittsburgh Pirates.  The 26-year-old right-hander will face the Pirates’ ace, reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes (4-1, 2.48 ERA).  St. Louis has won the first three contests of the four-game series after holding on for a 5-4 victory on Thursday night, which ended with Nathan Church leaping at the left field wall to snare Nick Gonzales’ long drive with a runner on.  Dobbins will be activated from the injured list to make a spot start with St. Louis in the team’s stretch of 17 games in 17 days. Dobbins has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis, where he went 3-0 with a 4.37 ERA in five starts.  The Texas Tech product is set to make his first major league appearance since last July, when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox and tore his right ACL during a fielding play. That injury and an elbow strain limited him to 61 innings as a rookie in 2025.  Dobbins will be trying to follow an outstanding start by Andre Pallante on Wednesday night, in which he allowed a run and five hits over six innings.  Dobbins went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA, 17 walks and 45 strikeouts in 13 games (11 starts) for the Red Sox last year.  The Cardinals obtained Dobbins and two other pitching prospects when they traded Willson Contreras to Boston in December.  Dobbins faced only two of Pittsburgh’s current players last season. Jake Mangum singled against him as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Ryan O’Hearn went 0-for-2 vs. Dobbins while playing for the Baltimore Orioles.   Skenes, who has 30 strikeouts and a 0.72 WHIP in 29 innings, is coming off a 6-0 win over the host Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in which he took a perfect game into the seventh. Jake Bauers’ two-out groundball single broke up the quest for perfection.  Skenes had to settle for seven innings of one-hit, scoring ball. He struck out a season-best seven, walked none and threw a season-high 93 pitches.  “That’s the best I’ve ever seen from anyone, I think,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game.  Opponents are hitting .141 against Skenes this season. He held foes to a .198 average while winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a .199 average in his Cy Young campaign last season.  “I think sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he came up two years ago and he’s in his third season in the big leagues,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “He’s continuing to get better, which is amazing considering what he’s already done in the game.”  Even so, Skenes has yet to defeat St. Louis in his short career. Despite a 2.39 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings over six starts against the Cardinals, Skenes has a 0-4 record in those contests. St. Louis has only managed 27 hits with seven walks against him.  Though his try for a game-winning walk-off home run was foiled by Church, Gonzales did extend his hitting streak to 10 games with a single earlier Wednesday night.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Hunter #Dobbins #set #Cardinals #debut #Pirates #Paul #SkenesApr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Hunter Dobbins will go up against a formidable opposite number in his Cardinals debut on Thursday afternoon when St. Louis opposes the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 26-year-old right-hander will face the Pirates’ ace, reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes (4-1, 2.48 ERA).

St. Louis has won the first three contests of the four-game series after holding on for a 5-4 victory on Thursday night, which ended with Nathan Church leaping at the left field wall to snare Nick Gonzales’ long drive with a runner on.

Dobbins will be activated from the injured list to make a spot start with St. Louis in the team’s stretch of 17 games in 17 days. Dobbins has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis, where he went 3-0 with a 4.37 ERA in five starts.

The Texas Tech product is set to make his first major league appearance since last July, when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox and tore his right ACL during a fielding play. That injury and an elbow strain limited him to 61 innings as a rookie in 2025.

Dobbins will be trying to follow an outstanding start by Andre Pallante on Wednesday night, in which he allowed a run and five hits over six innings.

Dobbins went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA, 17 walks and 45 strikeouts in 13 games (11 starts) for the Red Sox last year.

The Cardinals obtained Dobbins and two other pitching prospects when they traded Willson Contreras to Boston in December.


Dobbins faced only two of Pittsburgh’s current players last season. Jake Mangum singled against him as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Ryan O’Hearn went 0-for-2 vs. Dobbins while playing for the Baltimore Orioles.

Skenes, who has 30 strikeouts and a 0.72 WHIP in 29 innings, is coming off a 6-0 win over the host Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in which he took a perfect game into the seventh. Jake Bauers’ two-out groundball single broke up the quest for perfection.

Skenes had to settle for seven innings of one-hit, scoring ball. He struck out a season-best seven, walked none and threw a season-high 93 pitches.

“That’s the best I’ve ever seen from anyone, I think,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game.

Opponents are hitting .141 against Skenes this season. He held foes to a .198 average while winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a .199 average in his Cy Young campaign last season.

“I think sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he came up two years ago and he’s in his third season in the big leagues,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “He’s continuing to get better, which is amazing considering what he’s already done in the game.”

Even so, Skenes has yet to defeat St. Louis in his short career. Despite a 2.39 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings over six starts against the Cardinals, Skenes has a 0-4 record in those contests. St. Louis has only managed 27 hits with seven walks against him.

Though his try for a game-winning walk-off home run was foiled by Church, Gonzales did extend his hitting streak to 10 games with a single earlier Wednesday night.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hunter #Dobbins #set #Cardinals #debut #Pirates #Paul #Skenes

Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins (40) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Hunter Dobbins will go up against a formidable opposite number in his Cardinals debut on Thursday afternoon when St. Louis opposes the host Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 26-year-old right-hander will face the Pirates’ ace, reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes (4-1, 2.48 ERA).

St. Louis has won the first three contests of the four-game series after holding on for a 5-4 victory on Thursday night, which ended with Nathan Church leaping at the left field wall to snare Nick Gonzales’ long drive with a runner on.

Dobbins will be activated from the injured list to make a spot start with St. Louis in the team’s stretch of 17 games in 17 days. Dobbins has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis, where he went 3-0 with a 4.37 ERA in five starts.

The Texas Tech product is set to make his first major league appearance since last July, when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox and tore his right ACL during a fielding play. That injury and an elbow strain limited him to 61 innings as a rookie in 2025.

Dobbins will be trying to follow an outstanding start by Andre Pallante on Wednesday night, in which he allowed a run and five hits over six innings.

Dobbins went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA, 17 walks and 45 strikeouts in 13 games (11 starts) for the Red Sox last year.

The Cardinals obtained Dobbins and two other pitching prospects when they traded Willson Contreras to Boston in December.

Dobbins faced only two of Pittsburgh’s current players last season. Jake Mangum singled against him as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Ryan O’Hearn went 0-for-2 vs. Dobbins while playing for the Baltimore Orioles.

Skenes, who has 30 strikeouts and a 0.72 WHIP in 29 innings, is coming off a 6-0 win over the host Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in which he took a perfect game into the seventh. Jake Bauers’ two-out groundball single broke up the quest for perfection.

Skenes had to settle for seven innings of one-hit, scoring ball. He struck out a season-best seven, walked none and threw a season-high 93 pitches.

“That’s the best I’ve ever seen from anyone, I think,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the game.

Opponents are hitting .141 against Skenes this season. He held foes to a .198 average while winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a .199 average in his Cy Young campaign last season.

“I think sometimes we lose sight of the fact that he came up two years ago and he’s in his third season in the big leagues,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “He’s continuing to get better, which is amazing considering what he’s already done in the game.”

Even so, Skenes has yet to defeat St. Louis in his short career. Despite a 2.39 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings over six starts against the Cardinals, Skenes has a 0-4 record in those contests. St. Louis has only managed 27 hits with seven walks against him.

Though his try for a game-winning walk-off home run was foiled by Church, Gonzales did extend his hitting streak to 10 games with a single earlier Wednesday night.

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Braves bring historic pace into series finale vs. Tigers <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28842372.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28842372.jpg" alt="MLB: Detroit Tigers at Atlanta Braves" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) celebrates after a walk-off two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images <!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>The Braves will look for their 11th straight win against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon when the teams play the finale of a three-game series in Atlanta.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Matt Olson and the Braves gut-punched the Tigers on Wednesday when the first baseman crushed a two-run walk-off homer in the ninth inning. Detroit hasn’t beaten Atlanta since June 12, 2023.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>“When you have good years, you tend to have games like that,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “You look back and there’s always 10 or 12 games you won that you necessarily shouldn’t have. And we’ve had a few of those already. That’s a good sign.”</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Atlanta owns a major-league-best 22-9 mark, its best start in 26 years. The Braves have not lost a series, going 9-0-1. The 1983 team went a franchise-record tying 10 straight series without a defeat to open the season. The 1889 and 1892 Boston Beaneaters also opened their seasons with 10 straight series wins.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>“Like I said the other day, we’ve had innings where we’ve put up five, six and seven spots, so it kind of makes it feel like you’re in every ballgame when you feel like you can do that,” Olson said.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Atlanta will pit right-hander Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.95 ERA) against Detroit southpaw Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.41) in the series finale.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Elder, in his latest outing on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies, pitched seven innings and allowed three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out two. The Braves eventually lost 8-5 in 10 innings.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-8"> <p>Elder has made one career start against the Tigers, beating them last Sept. 19 by allowing one run — on a solo homer by Spencer Torkelson — in seven strong innings.</p> </section> <section id="section-9"> <p>Valdez did not receive a decision when he faced the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. His control was shaky and he allowed two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out four in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 89 pitches, only 47 strikes.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Valdez is 1-1 with a 6.55 ERA in two career starts against the Braves, both while a member of the Houston Astros. He took a loss against Atlanta last Sept. 14 when he allowed five runs over four-plus innings.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Detroit rookie Kevin McGonigle went 2-for-4 on Wednesday and extended his hitting streak to 13 games, during which he has hit .358 (19-for-53). He has reached safely in his past 26 starts.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>The Tigers had to put left-hander Casey Mize (right adductor strain) and shortstop Javier Baez (right ankle sprain) on the injured list on Wednesday. Detroit recalled lefty Emmanuel De Jesus and third baseman Jace Jung from Triple-A Toledo.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>“Hopefully time heals that and (Mize) will continue with his arm-moving and things like that,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Javy’s is a pretty significant ankle sprain, so I don’t know what that means in terms of a timeline.”</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>The biggest decision involves who will take Mize’s spot in the rotation, as the Tigers don’t have another day off until May 7.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>The Braves announced that right-hander Spencer Strider, out all season with a left oblique strain, would make his first start on Sunday at Colorado.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-16"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Braves #bring #historic #pace #series #finale #Tigers

Deadspin | MLB roundup: Dodgers’ Dave Roberts becomes fastest to 1,000 wins  Jun 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) gestures towards the crowd after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Athletics as he earns his 1000th career win as a manager at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images   Tommy Edman had four hits, including a homer, and drove in four while manager Dave Roberts recorded his 1,000th career regular-season victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Athletics 9-3 on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif.  Roberts, who is in his 11th season, became the fourth manager in Dodgers history to reach the 1,000-victory mark. Roberts’ 1,606 career games (1,000-606) are the fewest needed to reach 1,000 wins, 35 fewer games than the previous fastest mark, held by Cap Anson (1875-98).  Miguel Rojas also went deep and drove in two runs and Mookie Betts had three hits as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in their past eight games. Los Angeles had 14 hits for a total of 31 over two nights while dominating the A’s both times.  Justin Wrobleski (10-2) struck out a career-high 11 while throwing seven innings of three-run ball for Los Angeles. Colby Thomas went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the A’s. Jeffrey Springs (3-8) gave up six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.  Mariners 8, Angels 3  Bryan Woo set the single-season record for most consecutive scoreless innings at T-Mobile Park as Seattle defeated visiting Los Angeles.  Woo opened with six scoreless frames to reach 32 overall before reliever Eduard Bazardo allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh. Woo (7-6), who won his fifth straight home start, was charged with two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out five.  The Mariners managed just three hits off Angels starter Jose Soriano (8-5) through the first five innings before opening the sixth with three straight singles against him to break a scoreless tie and spark a five-run inning.   Phillies 8, Pirates 0  Cristopher Sanchez worked seven strong innings while guiding Philadelphia to a win over visiting Pittsburgh.  Sanchez (10-3) allowed just three hits and two walks, striking out nine as he became the first starting pitcher to reach 10 wins this season. Justin Crawford had three hits and three RBIs for the Phillies, while Trea Turner added a homer, a double and three RBIs on his 33rd birthday.  Esmerlyn Valdez’s four-game homer streak came to an end, although the Pirates rookie still went 2-for-3 with a walk. Bubba Chandler (3-8) yielded five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.  Tigers 9, Yankees 3  Riley Greene belted a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats off Cam Schlittler, Tarik Skubal pitched six innings and visiting Detroit cruised past New York.  The Tigers slugged five home runs against the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 30, 2018, as Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and James Outman also went deep. Skubal (4-4) allowed two runs (one earned) and one hit while fanning nine.  Ben Rice homered, but the Yankees lost their season-high sixth straight game. Schlittler (8-5) was tagged for a career-worst six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. He served up four homers, also a career high.  Cubs 9, Padres 7  Dansby Swanson led a long-ball barrage with two home runs, and host Chicago held on for a win over San Diego.  Alex Bregman hit a three-run shot and Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong had solo homers for the Cubs, who won their fourth straight. Matthew Boyd (3-1) allowed three runs over five-plus innings. Ryan Rolison recorded the last out to earn his first career save.  Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs and Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets also homered for the Padres, who have lost four in a row. JP Sears (1-1) gave up seven runs (six earned) in 4 2/3 innings.  White Sox 9, Orioles 3  Colson Montgomery and Junior Perez homered during a seven-run third inning as visiting Chicago beat Baltimore, taking the first two games of the three-game series.  Jacob Gonzalez had three hits and drove in three runs and Andrew Benintendi provided three hits as the White Sox won for the sixth time in eight games. They will win a series against Baltimore for the first time since July 2021 regardless of the result in the Wednesday afternoon series finale.  Chicago’s Erick Fedde (3-6) went five innings and yielded three runs on five hits. Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored two runs for the Orioles, whose losing streak grew to four games. They have lost six of their past seven games.  Rangers 4, Guardians 2  Cleveland left fielder Cooper Ingle threw the ball into the stands, incorrectly thinking it was the third out of the seventh inning, to bring home Ezequiel Duran as the go-ahead run, leading Texas past the host Guardians.  Duran led off the seventh with a single against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee and moved to second on a groundout by Evan Carter. Alejandro Osuna followed with a routine fly to Ingle, who caught it and promptly threw it over the screen into the crowd down the left field line.  Jacob deGrom (7-5) earned his fourth victory in his past five decisions for the Rangers, striking out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Bibee (2-9) also worked seven strong innings but received the loss when Ingle committed what was scored as a two-base error and an unearned run.  Nationals 8, Red Sox 1  Cade Cavalli allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings as visiting Washington defeated Boston.  The only run Boston scored against Cavalli (5-4) was unearned. He didn’t issue a walk in his 100-pitch outing. The Red Sox managed just four hits as their five-game winning streak ended.   CJ Abrams homered as the Nationals won for the third time in four games and leveled the three-game series at one victory apiece. James Wood finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs.  Diamondbacks 8, Giants 2  Arizona ran its season-long winning streak against San Francisco to eight games, riding home runs from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte to a victory in Phoenix.  Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A and making his first big-league start since April 11, Brandon Pfaadt (1-1) gave up one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Gurriel, Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Max Kepler had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks.  Luis Arraez singled, tripled and homered for the Giants, and Rafael Devers also went deep. Landen Roupp (5-8) permitted six runs and walked six in 2 2/3 innings.  Mets 3, Blue Jays 0  Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings and visiting New York defeated Toronto to split the first two of a three-game series.  McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette went 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base.  Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-7) completed six innings, allowing one run on five hits. Luis Urias had two singles and a walk.  Cardinals 5, Braves 3  Matthew Liberatore threw five strong innings and Nathan Church ended a long homerless streak to lead St. Louis over host Atlanta.  Liberatore (4-5) allowed one run on one hit and four walks, striking out nine, to earn his first victory since May 31. Church blasted a three-run homer to cap a four-run rally in the fourth inning when the Cardinals took the lead. It was Church’s sixth home run but first since April 26.  Ozzie Albies drove in two runs for the Braves. Martin Perez (5-6) yielded four runs on five hits in five innings.  Brewers 7, Reds 2  Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio homered and Brandon Sproat pitched effectively into the sixth inning as Milwaukee defeated visiting Cincinnati.  The Brewers have won six straight against the Reds, including all five games this season. Bauers and Sal Frelick each had three hits to pace Milwaukee’s 14-hit attack.  The Brewers gained control with four runs in the fourth off Rhett Lowder (3-6), opening the inning with five consecutive singles en route to a 5-1 lead. Sproat (3-4) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.  Rays 10, Royals 4  Junior Caminero homered in his fifth consecutive game, a three-run shot to highlight Tampa Bay’s six-run third inning, and the Rays won their sixth straight game, beating host Kansas City.  Ryan Vilade also homered and Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed three runs and struck out five over six innings to win his third straight start for the Rays. Caminero has clubbed eight of his 23 home runs in the past seven games.  Bobby Witt Jr. socked a two-run homer in the third and an eighth-inning solo shot as part of a three-hit night for the Royals, who have lost five of six.  Astros 6, Twins 4  Yordan Alvarez capped a six-run fourth inning with his third grand slam of the season as Houston rallied past visiting Minnesota.  Alvarez tied the franchise record with his seventh career grand slam, joining Alex Bregman, Carlos Lee and Jose Altuve. It was his 26th home run of the season. The Astros evened the three-game series at one win apiece behind Alvarez and a resilient effort from Mike Burrows (4-8), who overcame a ragged first inning to go five frames of four-run ball.  Twins starter Joe Ryan (5-5) permitted six runs on six hits in four innings. Ryan Kreidler hit a two-run single, and Kody Clemens produced two hits and two runs.  Marlins 14, Rockies 3  Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack and Owen Caissie each hit a home run in Miami’s blowout win over Colorado in Denver.  Sanoja hit a three-run shot in the third, extending the Marlins’ lead to 5-1. Mack’s two-run blast in the seventh and Caissie’s three-run homer in the eighth were late highlights from a huge offensive game for the Marlins, who have won six of their past seven.  Eury Perez (4-6) earned the win in his second start since returning from the injured list. Perez struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. Mickey Moniak homered for the Rockies. Tanner Gordon was tagged for five runs in five innings.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Dodgers #Dave #Roberts #fastest #winsJun 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) gestures towards the crowd after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Athletics as he earns his 1000th career win as a manager at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Tommy Edman had four hits, including a homer, and drove in four while manager Dave Roberts recorded his 1,000th career regular-season victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Athletics 9-3 on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif.

Roberts, who is in his 11th season, became the fourth manager in Dodgers history to reach the 1,000-victory mark. Roberts’ 1,606 career games (1,000-606) are the fewest needed to reach 1,000 wins, 35 fewer games than the previous fastest mark, held by Cap Anson (1875-98).

Miguel Rojas also went deep and drove in two runs and Mookie Betts had three hits as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in their past eight games. Los Angeles had 14 hits for a total of 31 over two nights while dominating the A’s both times.

Justin Wrobleski (10-2) struck out a career-high 11 while throwing seven innings of three-run ball for Los Angeles. Colby Thomas went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the A’s. Jeffrey Springs (3-8) gave up six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Mariners 8, Angels 3

Bryan Woo set the single-season record for most consecutive scoreless innings at T-Mobile Park as Seattle defeated visiting Los Angeles.

Woo opened with six scoreless frames to reach 32 overall before reliever Eduard Bazardo allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh. Woo (7-6), who won his fifth straight home start, was charged with two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out five.

The Mariners managed just three hits off Angels starter Jose Soriano (8-5) through the first five innings before opening the sixth with three straight singles against him to break a scoreless tie and spark a five-run inning.

Phillies 8, Pirates 0

Cristopher Sanchez worked seven strong innings while guiding Philadelphia to a win over visiting Pittsburgh.

Sanchez (10-3) allowed just three hits and two walks, striking out nine as he became the first starting pitcher to reach 10 wins this season. Justin Crawford had three hits and three RBIs for the Phillies, while Trea Turner added a homer, a double and three RBIs on his 33rd birthday.

Esmerlyn Valdez’s four-game homer streak came to an end, although the Pirates rookie still went 2-for-3 with a walk. Bubba Chandler (3-8) yielded five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Tigers 9, Yankees 3

Riley Greene belted a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats off Cam Schlittler, Tarik Skubal pitched six innings and visiting Detroit cruised past New York.

The Tigers slugged five home runs against the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 30, 2018, as Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and James Outman also went deep. Skubal (4-4) allowed two runs (one earned) and one hit while fanning nine.

Ben Rice homered, but the Yankees lost their season-high sixth straight game. Schlittler (8-5) was tagged for a career-worst six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. He served up four homers, also a career high.

Cubs 9, Padres 7

Dansby Swanson led a long-ball barrage with two home runs, and host Chicago held on for a win over San Diego.

Alex Bregman hit a three-run shot and Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong had solo homers for the Cubs, who won their fourth straight. Matthew Boyd (3-1) allowed three runs over five-plus innings. Ryan Rolison recorded the last out to earn his first career save.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs and Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets also homered for the Padres, who have lost four in a row. JP Sears (1-1) gave up seven runs (six earned) in 4 2/3 innings.

White Sox 9, Orioles 3

Colson Montgomery and Junior Perez homered during a seven-run third inning as visiting Chicago beat Baltimore, taking the first two games of the three-game series.

Jacob Gonzalez had three hits and drove in three runs and Andrew Benintendi provided three hits as the White Sox won for the sixth time in eight games. They will win a series against Baltimore for the first time since July 2021 regardless of the result in the Wednesday afternoon series finale.

Chicago’s Erick Fedde (3-6) went five innings and yielded three runs on five hits. Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored two runs for the Orioles, whose losing streak grew to four games. They have lost six of their past seven games.

Rangers 4, Guardians 2

Cleveland left fielder Cooper Ingle threw the ball into the stands, incorrectly thinking it was the third out of the seventh inning, to bring home Ezequiel Duran as the go-ahead run, leading Texas past the host Guardians.

Duran led off the seventh with a single against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee and moved to second on a groundout by Evan Carter. Alejandro Osuna followed with a routine fly to Ingle, who caught it and promptly threw it over the screen into the crowd down the left field line.

Jacob deGrom (7-5) earned his fourth victory in his past five decisions for the Rangers, striking out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Bibee (2-9) also worked seven strong innings but received the loss when Ingle committed what was scored as a two-base error and an unearned run.

Nationals 8, Red Sox 1

Cade Cavalli allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings as visiting Washington defeated Boston.


The only run Boston scored against Cavalli (5-4) was unearned. He didn’t issue a walk in his 100-pitch outing. The Red Sox managed just four hits as their five-game winning streak ended.

CJ Abrams homered as the Nationals won for the third time in four games and leveled the three-game series at one victory apiece. James Wood finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Diamondbacks 8, Giants 2

Arizona ran its season-long winning streak against San Francisco to eight games, riding home runs from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte to a victory in Phoenix.

Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A and making his first big-league start since April 11, Brandon Pfaadt (1-1) gave up one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Gurriel, Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Max Kepler had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks.

Luis Arraez singled, tripled and homered for the Giants, and Rafael Devers also went deep. Landen Roupp (5-8) permitted six runs and walked six in 2 2/3 innings.

Mets 3, Blue Jays 0

Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings and visiting New York defeated Toronto to split the first two of a three-game series.

McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette went 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base.

Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-7) completed six innings, allowing one run on five hits. Luis Urias had two singles and a walk.

Cardinals 5, Braves 3

Matthew Liberatore threw five strong innings and Nathan Church ended a long homerless streak to lead St. Louis over host Atlanta.

Liberatore (4-5) allowed one run on one hit and four walks, striking out nine, to earn his first victory since May 31. Church blasted a three-run homer to cap a four-run rally in the fourth inning when the Cardinals took the lead. It was Church’s sixth home run but first since April 26.

Ozzie Albies drove in two runs for the Braves. Martin Perez (5-6) yielded four runs on five hits in five innings.

Brewers 7, Reds 2

Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio homered and Brandon Sproat pitched effectively into the sixth inning as Milwaukee defeated visiting Cincinnati.

The Brewers have won six straight against the Reds, including all five games this season. Bauers and Sal Frelick each had three hits to pace Milwaukee’s 14-hit attack.

The Brewers gained control with four runs in the fourth off Rhett Lowder (3-6), opening the inning with five consecutive singles en route to a 5-1 lead. Sproat (3-4) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Rays 10, Royals 4

Junior Caminero homered in his fifth consecutive game, a three-run shot to highlight Tampa Bay’s six-run third inning, and the Rays won their sixth straight game, beating host Kansas City.

Ryan Vilade also homered and Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed three runs and struck out five over six innings to win his third straight start for the Rays. Caminero has clubbed eight of his 23 home runs in the past seven games.

Bobby Witt Jr. socked a two-run homer in the third and an eighth-inning solo shot as part of a three-hit night for the Royals, who have lost five of six.

Astros 6, Twins 4

Yordan Alvarez capped a six-run fourth inning with his third grand slam of the season as Houston rallied past visiting Minnesota.

Alvarez tied the franchise record with his seventh career grand slam, joining Alex Bregman, Carlos Lee and Jose Altuve. It was his 26th home run of the season. The Astros evened the three-game series at one win apiece behind Alvarez and a resilient effort from Mike Burrows (4-8), who overcame a ragged first inning to go five frames of four-run ball.

Twins starter Joe Ryan (5-5) permitted six runs on six hits in four innings. Ryan Kreidler hit a two-run single, and Kody Clemens produced two hits and two runs.

Marlins 14, Rockies 3

Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack and Owen Caissie each hit a home run in Miami’s blowout win over Colorado in Denver.

Sanoja hit a three-run shot in the third, extending the Marlins’ lead to 5-1. Mack’s two-run blast in the seventh and Caissie’s three-run homer in the eighth were late highlights from a huge offensive game for the Marlins, who have won six of their past seven.

Eury Perez (4-6) earned the win in his second start since returning from the injured list. Perez struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. Mickey Moniak homered for the Rockies. Tanner Gordon was tagged for five runs in five innings.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Dodgers #Dave #Roberts #fastest #wins">Deadspin | MLB roundup: Dodgers’ Dave Roberts becomes fastest to 1,000 wins  Jun 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) gestures towards the crowd after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Athletics as he earns his 1000th career win as a manager at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images   Tommy Edman had four hits, including a homer, and drove in four while manager Dave Roberts recorded his 1,000th career regular-season victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Athletics 9-3 on Tuesday in West Sacramento, Calif.  Roberts, who is in his 11th season, became the fourth manager in Dodgers history to reach the 1,000-victory mark. Roberts’ 1,606 career games (1,000-606) are the fewest needed to reach 1,000 wins, 35 fewer games than the previous fastest mark, held by Cap Anson (1875-98).  Miguel Rojas also went deep and drove in two runs and Mookie Betts had three hits as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in their past eight games. Los Angeles had 14 hits for a total of 31 over two nights while dominating the A’s both times.  Justin Wrobleski (10-2) struck out a career-high 11 while throwing seven innings of three-run ball for Los Angeles. Colby Thomas went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the A’s. Jeffrey Springs (3-8) gave up six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.  Mariners 8, Angels 3  Bryan Woo set the single-season record for most consecutive scoreless innings at T-Mobile Park as Seattle defeated visiting Los Angeles.  Woo opened with six scoreless frames to reach 32 overall before reliever Eduard Bazardo allowed a pair of inherited runners to score in the seventh. Woo (7-6), who won his fifth straight home start, was charged with two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out five.  The Mariners managed just three hits off Angels starter Jose Soriano (8-5) through the first five innings before opening the sixth with three straight singles against him to break a scoreless tie and spark a five-run inning.   Phillies 8, Pirates 0  Cristopher Sanchez worked seven strong innings while guiding Philadelphia to a win over visiting Pittsburgh.  Sanchez (10-3) allowed just three hits and two walks, striking out nine as he became the first starting pitcher to reach 10 wins this season. Justin Crawford had three hits and three RBIs for the Phillies, while Trea Turner added a homer, a double and three RBIs on his 33rd birthday.  Esmerlyn Valdez’s four-game homer streak came to an end, although the Pirates rookie still went 2-for-3 with a walk. Bubba Chandler (3-8) yielded five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.  Tigers 9, Yankees 3  Riley Greene belted a pair of homers in consecutive at-bats off Cam Schlittler, Tarik Skubal pitched six innings and visiting Detroit cruised past New York.  The Tigers slugged five home runs against the Yankees for the first time since Aug. 30, 2018, as Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and James Outman also went deep. Skubal (4-4) allowed two runs (one earned) and one hit while fanning nine.  Ben Rice homered, but the Yankees lost their season-high sixth straight game. Schlittler (8-5) was tagged for a career-worst six runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. He served up four homers, also a career high.  Cubs 9, Padres 7  Dansby Swanson led a long-ball barrage with two home runs, and host Chicago held on for a win over San Diego.  Alex Bregman hit a three-run shot and Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong had solo homers for the Cubs, who won their fourth straight. Matthew Boyd (3-1) allowed three runs over five-plus innings. Ryan Rolison recorded the last out to earn his first career save.  Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs and Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets also homered for the Padres, who have lost four in a row. JP Sears (1-1) gave up seven runs (six earned) in 4 2/3 innings.  White Sox 9, Orioles 3  Colson Montgomery and Junior Perez homered during a seven-run third inning as visiting Chicago beat Baltimore, taking the first two games of the three-game series.  Jacob Gonzalez had three hits and drove in three runs and Andrew Benintendi provided three hits as the White Sox won for the sixth time in eight games. They will win a series against Baltimore for the first time since July 2021 regardless of the result in the Wednesday afternoon series finale.  Chicago’s Erick Fedde (3-6) went five innings and yielded three runs on five hits. Gunnar Henderson had two hits and scored two runs for the Orioles, whose losing streak grew to four games. They have lost six of their past seven games.  Rangers 4, Guardians 2  Cleveland left fielder Cooper Ingle threw the ball into the stands, incorrectly thinking it was the third out of the seventh inning, to bring home Ezequiel Duran as the go-ahead run, leading Texas past the host Guardians.  Duran led off the seventh with a single against Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee and moved to second on a groundout by Evan Carter. Alejandro Osuna followed with a routine fly to Ingle, who caught it and promptly threw it over the screen into the crowd down the left field line.  Jacob deGrom (7-5) earned his fourth victory in his past five decisions for the Rangers, striking out nine over seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Bibee (2-9) also worked seven strong innings but received the loss when Ingle committed what was scored as a two-base error and an unearned run.  Nationals 8, Red Sox 1  Cade Cavalli allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 13 batters in seven innings as visiting Washington defeated Boston.  The only run Boston scored against Cavalli (5-4) was unearned. He didn’t issue a walk in his 100-pitch outing. The Red Sox managed just four hits as their five-game winning streak ended.   CJ Abrams homered as the Nationals won for the third time in four games and leveled the three-game series at one victory apiece. James Wood finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs.  Diamondbacks 8, Giants 2  Arizona ran its season-long winning streak against San Francisco to eight games, riding home runs from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Ketel Marte to a victory in Phoenix.  Recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A and making his first big-league start since April 11, Brandon Pfaadt (1-1) gave up one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Gurriel, Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Max Kepler had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks.  Luis Arraez singled, tripled and homered for the Giants, and Rafael Devers also went deep. Landen Roupp (5-8) permitted six runs and walked six in 2 2/3 innings.  Mets 3, Blue Jays 0  Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings and visiting New York defeated Toronto to split the first two of a three-game series.  McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette went 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base.  Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-7) completed six innings, allowing one run on five hits. Luis Urias had two singles and a walk.  Cardinals 5, Braves 3  Matthew Liberatore threw five strong innings and Nathan Church ended a long homerless streak to lead St. Louis over host Atlanta.  Liberatore (4-5) allowed one run on one hit and four walks, striking out nine, to earn his first victory since May 31. Church blasted a three-run homer to cap a four-run rally in the fourth inning when the Cardinals took the lead. It was Church’s sixth home run but first since April 26.  Ozzie Albies drove in two runs for the Braves. Martin Perez (5-6) yielded four runs on five hits in five innings.  Brewers 7, Reds 2  Jake Bauers and Jackson Chourio homered and Brandon Sproat pitched effectively into the sixth inning as Milwaukee defeated visiting Cincinnati.  The Brewers have won six straight against the Reds, including all five games this season. Bauers and Sal Frelick each had three hits to pace Milwaukee’s 14-hit attack.  The Brewers gained control with four runs in the fourth off Rhett Lowder (3-6), opening the inning with five consecutive singles en route to a 5-1 lead. Sproat (3-4) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.  Rays 10, Royals 4  Junior Caminero homered in his fifth consecutive game, a three-run shot to highlight Tampa Bay’s six-run third inning, and the Rays won their sixth straight game, beating host Kansas City.  Ryan Vilade also homered and Griffin Jax (4-5) allowed three runs and struck out five over six innings to win his third straight start for the Rays. Caminero has clubbed eight of his 23 home runs in the past seven games.  Bobby Witt Jr. socked a two-run homer in the third and an eighth-inning solo shot as part of a three-hit night for the Royals, who have lost five of six.  Astros 6, Twins 4  Yordan Alvarez capped a six-run fourth inning with his third grand slam of the season as Houston rallied past visiting Minnesota.  Alvarez tied the franchise record with his seventh career grand slam, joining Alex Bregman, Carlos Lee and Jose Altuve. It was his 26th home run of the season. The Astros evened the three-game series at one win apiece behind Alvarez and a resilient effort from Mike Burrows (4-8), who overcame a ragged first inning to go five frames of four-run ball.  Twins starter Joe Ryan (5-5) permitted six runs on six hits in four innings. Ryan Kreidler hit a two-run single, and Kody Clemens produced two hits and two runs.  Marlins 14, Rockies 3  Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack and Owen Caissie each hit a home run in Miami’s blowout win over Colorado in Denver.  Sanoja hit a three-run shot in the third, extending the Marlins’ lead to 5-1. Mack’s two-run blast in the seventh and Caissie’s three-run homer in the eighth were late highlights from a huge offensive game for the Marlins, who have won six of their past seven.  Eury Perez (4-6) earned the win in his second start since returning from the injured list. Perez struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. Mickey Moniak homered for the Rockies. Tanner Gordon was tagged for five runs in five innings.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #MLB #roundup #Dodgers #Dave #Roberts #fastest #wins

Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the most improbable championships in NBA history back in 2019 during his only season with the franchise. Leonard would leave for the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency weeks later, and ever since both parties have failed to recoup the same level of success they enjoyed together.

The idea of Leonard returning to Toronto felt like it was never going to happen, but things can change fast in the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are together again.

Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks, according to Shams Charania.

The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.

Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

Toronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.

Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.

You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.

Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.

The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.

Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

It’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.

The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.

My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.

The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract.

#Kawhi #Leonard #trade #grades #Raptors #Clippers #blockbuster #returns #legend #Toronto">Kawhi Leonard trade grades for Raptors, Clippers blockbuster that returns legend to Toronto  Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the most improbable championships in NBA history back in 2019 during his only season with the franchise. Leonard would leave for the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency weeks later, and ever since both parties have failed to recoup the same level of success they enjoyed together.The idea of Leonard returning to Toronto felt like it was never going to happen, but things can change fast in the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are together again.Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks, according to Shams Charania.The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard dealToronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with  million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard dealIt’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract.  #Kawhi #Leonard #trade #grades #Raptors #Clippers #blockbuster #returns #legend #Toronto

according to Shams Charania.

The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.

Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

Toronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.

Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.

You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.

Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.

The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.

Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

It’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.

The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.

My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.

The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract.

#Kawhi #Leonard #trade #grades #Raptors #Clippers #blockbuster #returns #legend #Toronto">Kawhi Leonard trade grades for Raptors, Clippers blockbuster that returns legend to Toronto

Kawhi Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to one of the most improbable championships in NBA history back in 2019 during his only season with the franchise. Leonard would leave for the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency weeks later, and ever since both parties have failed to recoup the same level of success they enjoyed together.

The idea of Leonard returning to Toronto felt like it was never going to happen, but things can change fast in the NBA. Six years after they teamed up on an unforgettable run to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Kawhi and Raptors are together again.

Toronto acquired Leonard from the Clippers in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks, according to Shams Charania.

The Raptors believe they can compete to win the East again with Leonard in tow. The Clippers are rebuilding. Let’s grade this trade for both sides.

Raptors grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

Toronto returned to the playoffs last year after three years in the wilderness, and pushing an eventual conference finalist in the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven games in the first-round. The Raptors mostly did it with defense, riding a top-5 unit to 46 wins while the offense was league-average. If Toronto wanted to improve this year, they had to boost the offense without sacrificing the defense, and they did exactly that by landing Leonard.

Kawhi immediately fixes a lot of Toronto’s biggest issues if he can stay healthy. He gives them half-court shot creation, three-point shooting, and another ferocious wing defender who can roam off the ball as his younger teammates take on tougher assignments. Leonard quietly had one of the best years of his career at 34 years old last season, putting up a career-best 43.3 points per 100 possessions while also rebounding the ball as well as ever. He graded out as the fifth-best player in the league last season by EPM, and finished even better than that in a lot of other all-in-one advanced metrics.

You don’t need a fancy algorithm to tell you Kawhi is really good at basketball when he’s on the floor. He’s a super efficient scorer from all three levels who doesn’t turn the ball over, rebounds well, and can still be a terror defensively. It’s pretty amazing that Toronto was able to land him without really giving up much value.

Ingram had a nice year last season, but he was absolutely not on a team-friendly contract with $82 million owed to him over the next two seasons. Dick has mostly been a bust. This is all about Toronto giving up two future first-round picks and a pick swap. You can argue the Raptors are mortgaging their future to chase a championship right now with Kawhi, but he’s worth it as long as he can stay on the floor. It’s wild that the Raptors gave up more draft capital to get Kawhi in 2026 than they did in 2018.

The only risk here for the Raptors comes with Kawhi’s looming contract extension. He’s 35, and obviously he has a long history of not being healthy before this past season. Judging this move in a vacuum, though, it’s a home run for Toronto. I don’t know why other possible contenders didn’t get in on the bidding.

Clippers grade for Kawhi Leonard deal

It’s understandable that the Clippers didn’t want to give Kawhi a contract extension, and that made trading him an easy choice. His value was never going to get higher than it is right now after a terrific season. I’m just not sure the Clippers got the best deal they could have.

The bidding for Kawhi seemed like it was a bit depressed because he indicated he was only willing to sign an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio Spurs. My response to that: who cares! Leonard is so good that other contenders should have been trying to trade for him. We’ve already seen him lead a championship run as a rental, and it might actually be a good thing for another team that he won’t take a contract extension right now if his body breaks down again. I think Denver, Boston, Detroit, Philly, and more should have gotten in on the bidding. The Raptors’ offer wasn’t that strong.

My guess is the Clippers flip Ingram either at the trade deadline or next summer as an expiring contract. The two first-round picks are the real prize here, and the Clippers did well to also get a future pick swap.

The Clippers’ future rests on the shoulders of No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, with Darius Garland as a sub-headliner, and now they have more future assets to continue to build around them. LA has a lot of work to do, but getting out of the Kawhi business is a smart move because they couldn’t compete for a title with him. They did well in this trade for an expiring contract.

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