Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his recent tear on Saturday afternoon as part of Toronto's blowout 9-3 victory (box score) against the New York Yankees. Guerrero went 3-for-5 with six runs batted in courtesy of a two-run home run and a bases-loaded double. (He also singled in a run.)
Here's a look at Guerrero's home run, his 13th of the season. It came in the first inning against Nestor Cortes and recorded an exit velocity of 106.5 mph and traveled 403 feet.
Guerrero, 25, entered Saturday hitting .291/.369/.456 (136 OPS+) with 12 home runs and 44 runs batted in. He's been particularly productive as of late. In his last six games, he's 14-for-29 with five home runs, five doubles, and 19 RBI.
His hot streak is coming at a good time, as it coincides with the start of trade season. It's unclear if the Blue Jays, who entered Saturday with a 37-44 record and a 7 1/2 game deficit in the American League wild-card race, will make Guerrero and other veterans available ahead of the July 30 deadline. Doing so would make some sense, however, given that Guerrero is slated to qualify for free agency following the 2025 season.
Coincidentally, Guerrero's offensive barrage has included three strong showings against the Yankees, a team currently without their starting first baseman and DH. Guerrero, who once said he would never play for the Yankees, recently offered a revised stance on that issue.
"I'm a worker, professional, and I go out on the field and play," Guerrero said. "... Sometimes you say things -- it's not that I am trying to take back what I said about the Yankees, what do I say, I don't hold back what I said about the Yankees -- but this is a business. I sat down and spoke with my dad and my family, and this is a business ... Like I tell you, I'm a player and if a team picks me or if they do something, it's because they need it, obviously, and I'll be happy to help any team. But right now, I'm just focused on helping my team try to get out of this bad streak."
Of course, even if the Blue Jays do listen to offers on Guerrero, they might find it difficult to stomach trading him within the division and/or to the Yankees. As such, Guerrero's past comments are likely to remain a moot issue at this point in time.
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Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a potential trade deadline candidate, continues tear vs. Yankees - CBS Sports
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Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his recent tear on Saturday afternoon as part of Toronto's blowout 9-3 victory (box score) against the New York Yankees. Guerrero went 3-for-5 with six runs batted in courtesy of a two-run home run and a bases-loaded double. (He also singled in a run.)
Here's a look at Guerrero's home run, his 13th of the season. It came in the first inning against Nestor Cortes and recorded an exit velocity of 106.5 mph and traveled 403 feet.
Guerrero, 25, entered Saturday hitting .291/.369/.456 (136 OPS+) with 12 home runs and 44 runs batted in. He's been particularly productive as of late. In his last six games, he's 14-for-29 with five home runs, five doubles, and 19 RBI.
His hot streak is coming at a good time, as it coincides with the start of trade season. It's unclear if the Blue Jays, who entered Saturday with a 37-44 record and a 7 1/2 game deficit in the American League wild-card race, will make Guerrero and other veterans available ahead of the July 30 deadline. Doing so would make some sense, however, given that Guerrero is slated to qualify for free agency following the 2025 season.
Coincidentally, Guerrero's offensive barrage has included three strong showings against the Yankees, a team currently without their starting first baseman and DH. Guerrero, who once said he would never play for the Yankees, recently offered a revised stance on that issue.
"I'm a worker, professional, and I go out on the field and play," Guerrero said. "... Sometimes you say things -- it's not that I am trying to take back what I said about the Yankees, what do I say, I don't hold back what I said about the Yankees -- but this is a business. I sat down and spoke with my dad and my family, and this is a business ... Like I tell you, I'm a player and if a team picks me or if they do something, it's because they need it, obviously, and I'll be happy to help any team. But right now, I'm just focused on helping my team try to get out of this bad streak."
Of course, even if the Blue Jays do listen to offers on Guerrero, they might find it difficult to stomach trading him within the division and/or to the Yankees. As such, Guerrero's past comments are likely to remain a moot issue at this point in time.
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Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a potential trade deadline candidate, continues tear vs. Yankees - CBS Sports
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The Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder worked out a trade hours before the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft began. Then, the Portland Trail Blazers got in on the deal, too, before Golden State ended up with its original pick at the end of things.
In the trade, the Warriors sent their No. 52 pick to the Thunder for third-year forward Lindy Waters III. Oklahoma City then used the No. 52 pick (which eventually became Quinten Post) to acquire the draft rights to the No. 40 pick (Oso Ighodaro) from Portland.
From there, it got complicated. Oklahoma City received the rights to the No. 38 pick (Ajay Mitchell) from the New York Knicks for the rights to Ighodaro. The Knicks then dealt Ighodaro to the Suns for Kevin McCullar Jr. (the No. 56 pick) in a separate trade. In short, the trade allowed OKC to get Mitchell and Golden State to keep Post.
The Warriors have acquired guard Lindy Waters III from the Thunder in exchange for the draft rights to forward/center Quinten Post (52nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft).
In a related transaction, the Warriors have agreed in principle to reacquire the draft rights to Post… pic.twitter.com/LYY0UfmegJ
Quenten Post (52nd pick, via Thunder from Blazers)
Thunder get:
Draft rights to Quentin Post (via Warriors; traded to Blazers)
Draft rights to Oso Ighodaro (40th pick, via Blazers; traded to Suns via Knicks)
Blazers receive:
Draft rights to Quentin Post (via Thunder; traded to Warriors)
Cash considerations (via Thunder)
Overall, Oklahoma City did what it usually does on Draft nights: stay busy. Aside from this deal, the Thunder selected Nikola Topic with the No. 12 pick in the first round and were part of a three-team deal that brought No. 26 overall pick Dillon Jones to them as well.
Waters played in 38 games for Oklahoma City last season, averaging 3.6 points and 1.1 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per game. His most impactful season came as a rookie in 2021-22, when he posted 8 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 1 apg in 18.6 mpg in 25 games.
Here's a rundown of some of the night's most distinctive moments and exchanges that were either downright false or left out important facts and context.
Trump on abortion
As he has on the campaign trail, Trump made several false claims throughout the debate.
On the topic of abortion, for instance, he said of some Democratic-led states, "They're radical because they will take the life of a child in the eighth month, the ninth month, even after birth."
That is an entirely evidence-free claim. Killing a person after birth is illegal in every U.S. state.
Trump also asserted that "everybody" agreed with his appointment of conservative Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade, which protected the right for women to obtain an abortion nationwide. The court's decision sent the issue of whether to outlaw or restrict abortions back to the states.
"What I did was, I put three great Supreme Court justices on the court and they happened to vote in favor of killing Roe v. Wade and moving it back to the states. This is something that everybody wanted," Trump said.
Polls taken after the Supreme Court overturned Roehave consistently shown that a majority of Americans disapprove of the court's decision.
Trump on the criminal cases against him
Without providing any evidence, Trump regularly states that the only reason he has been criminally indicted is that Biden has sought to keep him from winning a second term. On Thursday, he did so once again.
"I wouldn't be under indictment because I wouldn't have been his political opponent. He indicted me because I was his opponent," Trump said.
Two of the criminal cases against Trump were brought in state courts that are not under the direction of the Justice Department. While special counsel Jack Smith, who indicted Trump in the classified documents case and the Jan. 6 election interference case, was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, there is no evidence to suggest Biden's involvement in the decision to file charges.
Trump says there was 'no terror at all' during his presidency
On the topic of terrorism, Trump offered revisionist history when it came to his time in office.
"You had no terror at all during my administration. This place — the whole world is blowing up under him," Trump asserted.
This is not the first time Trump has falsely claimed the U.S. had no terrorist attacks during his presidency. In reality, there were several incidents that qualify:
In 2017, Trump's Justice Department alleged that a mass murder in New York City, which left eight people dead, was a terrorist attack in support of ISIS.
In 2018, the Justice Department claimed there was evidence of a "domestic terrorist attack" when a Trump supporter mailed homemade explosive devices to Democratic officials and CNN offices.
In 2019, Trump's Justice Department claimed an attack that killed three U.S. service members and injured others at a military base in Florida was motivated by an "associate" of al-Qaida.
Also in 2019, a gunman, who the Justice Department said was targeting Latinos, killed 23 people in a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas.
Biden: Trump wants to get rid of Social Security
While Trump has not been forthcoming about his plans for securing Social Security for future generations, he has repeatedly said he has no plans to cut it. Biden asserted otherwise on Thursday.
"He wants to get rid of Social Security. He thinks that there's plenty to cut in Social Security," he said.
Trump has said that there may be some room to reduce spending on Social Security and proposed a budget that included some cuts to the program, but has not stated any intention to eliminate the program.
Biden on endorsement of U.S. Border Patrol
During the debate, Biden made a claim about an official endorsement by a government agency that simply doesn't make them.
"By the way the Border Patrol endorsed me, endorsed my position," the president said in an apparent reference to his recent executive order meant to curtail the surge in the number of migrants seeking asylum in the U.S.
The Border Patrol Union, which does sometimes make political endorsements, has not endorsed Biden, however, and said in a post on X during the debate, "To be clear, we never have and never will endorse Biden."
Biden on '15% unemployment' when he took office
Biden offered an incorrect unemployment statistic when defending his own record and criticizing the state of the economy Trump had left him.
"There was no inflation when I became president. You know why? Because the economy was flat on its back, 15% unemployment," Biden said.
In truth, the unemployment rate was 6.4% in January of 2021. It has since fallen to 4%.
Trump says Biden is 'allowing' China to dominate the U.S.
Trump sought to blame Biden for China's continued economic rise but left out some notable details.
"China's going to own us if you keep allowing them to do what they're doing to us as a country. They are killing us as a country, Joe. And you can't let that happen — you're destroying our country," Trump said.
In a questionable list of claims, Trump portrayed himself as having joined in the fight against climate change.
"I want absolutely immaculate clean water and I want absolutely clean air, and we had it. We had H2O," Trump said, presumably meaning CO2, a greenhouse gas scientists say is helping to warm the planet. "We had the best numbers ever and we did — we were using all forms of energy, all forms, everything. And yet, during my four years, I had the best environmental numbers ever."
While greenhouse gas emissions fell during Trump's term in office, they fell even more during Barack Obama's presidency. Experts also note that the modest decline when Trump was president was aided by the decline in economic activity caused by the coronavirus pandemic, not because of any specific actions taken by the Trump administration. Trump has promised oil executives that he will do away with regulations on oil production and will fight to dismantle the transition to clean energy that accelerated the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Biden says Trump wants to get rid of the Affordable Care Act
"[Trump] wants to get rid of the [Affordable Care Act] again. And they're gonna try again if they win," Biden exclaimed during Thursday's debate.
While Trump had indeed sought to repeal Obama's signature health care law, he failed to do so and has since proclaimed that he is now "not running to terminate" the law. Instead, Trump has said he wants to make it "much better than it is right now and much less expensive for you."
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 45 million Americans are now enrolled in coverage related to the ACA, and that percentage continues to grow each year.
Biden and Trump trade blame over inflation
On the subject of inflation, Biden and Trump both saw fit to pin the blame for the problem on the other.
"He caused this inflation. I gave him a country with essentially no inflation," Trump said of Biden, adding, "He destroyed it."
Biden countered that Trump "caused it with his tremendous malfeasance in the way he handled the pandemic."
But inflation is primarily the result of macroeconomic trends that presidents have little power to influence. Economists blame two recent factors, the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine, for recent spikes in prices.
Inflation grew steadily during the first two years of Biden’s term, hitting a peak of 9% in June 2022 — not when Biden took office, as he sometimes claims. Inflation has dropped significantly since then, but the prices of key commodities, fuel and housing are still higher than they were when Biden took office.
➕ Read more
How did Trump and Biden do in the debate? 3 takeaways from 2024's 1st big clash."Biden struggled to show his age doesn't matter." [Yahoo News]
CNN moderators in Biden-Trump debate: It almost didn't matter that they were on stage."Did the moderators play a role? ... Their problem was that, more times than not, the questions were ignored as the two candidates continued to squabble at their own pace." [Associated Press]
Swing state voters react to presidential debate, Biden's weak performance."At a watch party organized by the Biden campaign, some voters were adamant that Biden had a strong debate performance, while others expressed reservations." [ABC News]
Who won the Biden-Trump debate? Biden's freeze draws age concerns."The biggest moment of the night came early, when Biden froze for several seconds while answering a question about the economy." [USA Today]
Fact Focus: Here's a look at some of the false claims made during Biden and Trump's first debate."President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded barbs and a variety of false and misleading information." [Associated Press]
After a devastating debate performance, Biden aides try to reassure panicky Democrats."Biden aides stressed that whatever happened on the debate stage, the fundamentals of the race are unchanged." [NBC News]
Here's why it would be tough for Democrats to replace Joe Biden on the presidential ticket."Every state has already held its presidential primary. Democratic rules mandate that the delegates Biden won remain bound to support him at the party's upcoming national convention unless he tells them he’s leaving the race." [Associated Press]
With reporting from Katie Mather, Michael Bebernes and Kate Murphy.
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Fact check: Biden and Trump trade falsehoods and context-free claims at 1st presidential debate of 2024 - Yahoo! Voices
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To CWS: RHP Mick Abel (No. 3 PHI prospect), SS Starlyn Caba (No. 5 PHI prospect), C Eduardo Tait (No. 8 PHI prospect), LHP Samuel Aldegheri (No. 10 PHI prospect)
The Chicago White Sox signed Luis Robert Jr. to a six-year, $50 million extension before he made his MLB debut prior to the 2020 season, and with a pair of $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027, he has three more years of control beyond this season.
The 26-year-old has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but when healthy he has been a superstar-caliber performer, posting a 124 OPS+ while averaging 37 doubles, 33 home runs, 91 RBI, 96 runs scored, 20 steals and 5.3 WAR per 162 games.
He could finally be the answer to a revolving door in center field for the Phillies.
The proposed return package reflects his upside as a Top 25 player in baseball when he is at his best, with a pair of Top 100 prospects in Mick Abel and Starlyn Caba, as well as two other impact prospect pieces in young catcher Eduardo Tait and left-hander Samuel Aldegheri.
Abel is off to a rocky start this season, but he is still only 22 years old with a strong track record and frontline upside, and the White Sox showed a willingness to buy low on high-ceiling arms last summer when they picked up Jake Eder and Ky Bush in trades.
It would be a big swing for the fences by the Phillies, but their title window is open right now and Robert could be the missing piece that pushes them over the top.
Veteran reliever John Brebbia has a 5.52 ERA over 33 appearances, but it is backed by a 3.22 FIP and a strong 37-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 29.1 innings, so he could also be a nice under-the-radar pickup.
Ahead of day two of the 2024 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks traded former first-round pick AJ Griffin to the Houston Rockets.
Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Hawks will receive the No. 44 overall pick in the second round of the draft from the Rockets for Griffin.
This is an excellent buy-low move for the Rockets. Griffin was a top-20 pick two years ago and will only turn 21 years old on Aug. 25.
For perspective, Griffin is younger than 2024 lottery picks Zach Edey and Devin Carter. He had a promising rookie season with 8.9 points per game on 46.5 percent field-goal shooting (39.0 percent from three) in 72 appearances for the Hawks.
Injuries limited Griffin to just 20 games with the Hawks last season. He also played six games with the College Park Skyhawks in the G League.
There's not a path to immediate playing time for Griffin in Houston. He will open the 2024-25 season behind Dillon Brooks, Cam Whitmore and Jae'sean Tate on the depth chart.
Houston could have Griffin open the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League to get him regular playing time.
It's a bit surprising to see the Hawks, who could enter a rebuild if Trae Young and Dejounte Murray get traded this summer, move on from a talented young player who showed he can play during his rookie season.
But this is an opportunity for Griffin to get a fresh start with a new organization. The second-round pick traded by the Rockets was their only selection in the 2024 draft. Their first-rounder (No. 12 overall) went to the Oklahoma City Thunder stemming from the Chris Paul trade in 2019.
The No. 44 pick is currently Atlanta's only selection in the second round. The Hawks added Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 overall pick on Wednesday.
Griffin, 20, was a 2022 first-round pick out of Duke. He has averaged 7.5 points and 1.9 rebounds in his two seasons in Atlanta.
He only played 20 games last season for the Hawks, not starting any, as he missed time at the start of the season due to undisclosed personal reasons and also for an ankle sprain.
The Hawks made French teen Zaccharie Risacher the No. 1 overall pick in the draft Wednesday night. It was Atlanta's only pick in the draft before Thursday's trade.
Less than 24 hours before the 2024 NBA Draft, deals are beginning to fly.
The Brooklyn Nets finally and officially offloaded their best player in Mikal Bridges, likely signaling a rebuild. Houston then got involved, sending Brooklyn its picks back in exchange for the future Suns picks that were initially used to acquire former NBA MVP and two-time champion Kevin Durant.
In short — per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski — the Rockets will be making a push at prying Durant away from the Suns.
Lets take a look at what a potential deal could look like should it go down:
Starting with Houston, they ship off a former No. 2 pick in Jalen Green, who hasn’t fully lived up to expectations just yet, as well as journeyman Jeff Green and the newly acquired picks in exchange for the singular Durant.
With this move, they retain win-now assets in Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams and a young core of Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore and Tari Eason.
Phoenix offloads Durant, but gets a ground-up project in Jalen Green — who very much still has star potential – as well as a top prospect in tomorrow's draft at No. 3, and its future selections back.
Houston may very well have to include one more member of its young core, but it’s a deal that very well could have legs.
The first presidential debate is set for this Thursday evening, with the race still being close. Unlike previous election cycles, this time the debate is happening much earlier, which might lead to a less detailed discussion of policies.
According to Citi analysts, any equity market effects caused by the debate are likely to be short-lived.
More broadly, stocks usually price election risk roughly two months prior to the voting day “and we may see some weakness as markets anticipate the looming November event,” analysts noted.
“We think the debate’s policy discussions will be rather surface-level; economy-related discussions will not include fiscal reduction, adding to fragility,” they continued. “Bond markets typically prefer a divided government while equities prefer unified.”
In the context of this year’s election, the likelihood of the US ending up with a divided government in the 2024 election is reasonably high, Citi said in a note. This scenario is particularly plausible if a Democrat wins the presidency, as the party may struggle to maintain control of the Senate.
For the bond market, this would mark the best outcome, given the current high degree of uncertainty in the polls.
Analysts suggest that it would take an unusually poor performance from either candidate to significantly impact November's election. They believe this indicates that the current, somewhat uneasy balance between long-term fiscal deficit concerns and a dovish Federal Reserve will remain intact.
Overall, Citi analysts believe that with the election still being uncertain and far enough, near-term macro catalysts – such as the Federal Reserve's actions, key macroeconomic data, and the upcoming earnings season – will drive markets “prior to moving into the US election trade window later in the summer.”
The Golden State Warriors are shopping a key member of their 2022 championship team this offseason.
The Ringer's Logan Murdock reported Wednesday, citing sources, that Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will be "aggressively dangled" in trade talks.
Wiggins was arguably the Warriors' second-best player in their most recent championship run. He averaged 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics while playing stellar defense against Jayson Tatum.
Since then, however, Wiggins has fallen back on his inconsistent ways. He struggled to find a steady role in the Warriors' offense last season and averaged a career-low 13.2 points in 27 minutes per contest. Wiggins is signed for the next two seasons and has a $30.2 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign.
Trading Wiggins is among the options that general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. is exploring this summer. Murdock also reported that Golden State is working to trade veteran guard Chris Paul, who has a $30 million non-guaranteed salary for 2024-25 that becomes guaranteed on Friday. Additionally, the Warriors need to make a decision on impending free agent Klay Thompson and reportedly are looking to acquire Paul George.
After a disappointing 46–36 season that ended in the play-in tournament, it appears the Warriors' core surrounding Steph Curry and Draymond Green could look much different next season.
Another day, another new chapter in the saga that has become Brandon Aiyuk's contract situation with the San Francisco 49ers. Aiyuk reportedly met with the 49ers on Monday at the receiver's request, and it was a good meeting, per NFL Media. Both sides reportedly said things that needed to be said, and they are going to keep working towards a resolution.
Tom Pelissero reported that Aiyuk has never requested a trade, and the 49ers want to move forward with him in the fold -- despite the fact that teams have called. There is still time for the two sides to reach a long-term deal.
On Tuesday, Aiyuk responded to a recent report that San Francisco had previously engaged in talks with the Washington Commanders about possibly trading him, although nothing ever came of those talks.
"But I thought the Niners was never tryna trade me?" Aiyuk wrote on Instagram.
Last week, Aiyuk told Commanders rookie quarterback and former college teammate Jayden Daniels that the 49ers "don't want me back." The issue, of course, is money, as the 49ers do not want to pay Aiyuk what he is currently asking for, per ESPN.
Given what has recently transpired, it's likely that Aiyuk wants an extension that is similar to the ones his peers recently signed, which would pay him somewhere in the ballpark of $30 million annually. Aiyuk, who is currently slated to make $14.124 million this season under his fifth-year option, has a projected market value of $26.5 million annually, according to Spotrac.
While they remain apart from a monetary standpoint, the 49ers have never seriously considered dealing Aiyuk this offseason. They did have talks with the Commanders prior to the draft, but those never never got off the ground, according to ESPN.
At this point, it appears that Aiyuk and the 49ers are entrenched in a standstill. Either the two sides will find a middle ground, one side will decide give in, or a breakup will occur, either in the form of a yearlong holdout or a trade.
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The New York Yankees have holes to address at the trade deadline next month, but there is another spot they could look to upgrade, which isn't necessarily viewed as a pressing area of need.
According to SNY's John Harper, the Yankees may be looking for a catcher at the deadline this year after the Boston Red Sox ran all over them on June 16 with nine stolen bases in one game.
Now veteran Jose Trevino had been putting together a solid season with the bat until recently, as he has gone ice cold, hitting .095 in his last seven games and .190 in his past 15. Per Baseball Savant, he is the best catcher in baseball in terms of framing pitches, but has lost arm strength behind the plate and has struggled to throw runners out on the base paths, posting -3 below average in catcher's caught stealing, which ranks 54th in the league.
Trevino, 31, was an All-Star with the Yankees in 2022 and won the Gold Glove Award and Platinum Glove Award in that same year. But a down campaign last season ended prematurely due to right wrist surgery, and it has likely hindered his ability to throw out base stealers.
Young catcher Austin Wells has served as Trevino's backup, but the 24-year-old has yet to get anything going consistently on offense in 45 games, posting a .205 average and .608 OPS with just two home runs. Behind the dish, Wells ranks ninth in MLB in framing, but is -2 below average in catcher's caught stealing (47th).
The Yankees could potentially trade for a first baseman and move top prospect Ben Rice back to his natural position at catcher. However, if Rice adjusts to playing first, which the Yankees are hoping will be the case, they could instead target a catcher.
Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz, who is playing on an expiring deal for a non contender, is the hottest name out there, as he is having a strong season offensively, slashing .303/.352/.439 with a .791 OPS in 55 games. He ranks fourth in framing and ninth in catcher's caught stealing as he is two above average.
GM Brian Cashman could call up Colorado about Diaz and try to package him with star third baseman Ryan McMahon in a blockbuster trade, thus killing two birds with one stone. The Yankees are thin on pitching depth in the minor leagues, but they could possibly try to use top prospect outfielder Spencer Jones as the main piece in a deal.
As long as Juan Soto re-signs with the Yankees, the Bronx Bombers would be set in the outfield for many years to come with the 25-year-old superstar, team captain Aaron Judge and youngster Jasson Dominguez. So packaging Jones in an all-in season makes sense despite his potential.
Catcher isn't a top priority given the Yankees' needs in the bullpen and corner infield spots. However, a trade for Diaz and McMahon would increase New York's World Series odds this year.
Trevor Zegras may have had an uncharacteristically bad season in 2023-24, with just 15 points in 31 games, but that has not stopped him from being at the center of trade calls from no less than eight teams across the NHL.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres have all contacted Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek about trading for the 23-year-old center.
They have all been met with very high asking prices. "Regarding the specific asking price, it varies team-by-team and so far, nobody will elaborate on the specific demands aside from emphasizing it's a "big price," Pagnotta wrote.
Before the disappointment that was this season, Zegras was a two-time 60-plus point guy, with 23 goals in each of the previous two years and a shooting percentage of over 12. He also played in 75 and 81 games respectively.
Zegras missed training camp with a broken ankle and struggled all year to get back on the ice and be the player he had previously been. While that would seemingly adversely affect one's value, that does not appear to be the case with Zegras, for whom contending teams have been all too eager to assess his price.
There may be no moving Zegras, though, as Verbeek plays hardball with the talented young potential star. Pagnotta wrote:
"The consensus among teams is that Verbeek is playing hardball and is not looking to give a key asset away for a package centered around draft picks and prospects. The Ducks remain high on Zegras' potential and unless a team steps up to the plate this week and offers what Verbeek is looking for, Zegras is likely starting the 2024-25 campaign in Orange County."
The Rangers, in particular, need help at center and would be, somehow, even more improved with by adding a player like Zegras.
That he is originally from Bedford, New York would be icing on the proverbial cake as the team would have a young star from the state who could further build goodwill with a fan base that saw the team inexplicably falter in the playoffs despite a historically great season.
It will take a haul, including players, though, and that may be something no contending team is in much of a hurry to provide depending on exactly what Verbeek is seeking in return.
Guerrero was asked Monday night if he'd reconsider past comments with the Blue Jays languishing in last place in the American League East -- 16 games behind the Yankees -- and the trade deadline looming July 30.
"Sometimes one says things. It is not that I am trying to take back what I said about the Yankees," Guerrero told Virus Deportivo on Monday. "But this is a business. I sat down and spoke with my dad [Vladimir Guerrero Sr.] and my family, and this is a business. And I said I would never again talk about this topic and lots of people have asked me about it."
In 2022, Guerrero said he'd "never sign with the Yankees -- not even dead." In 2023, he told the New York Post that it was "a personal thing that goes back with my family. ... I would never change that."
But never say never.
"Like I tell you, I'm a player and if a team picks me or if they do something, it's because they need it, obviously, and I'll be happy to help any team," Guerrero Jr. told Virus Deportivo on Monday. "But right now, I'm just focused on helping my team try to get out of this bad streak."
But Guerrero, 25, would be a huge addition to an offense that already boasts the likes of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. After a slow start, Guerrero is hitting .286 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs for the Blue Jays this season, and general manager Ross Atkins has already said that it "doesn't make any sense" to trade Guerrero, who is under contract through the 2025 season.
Guerrero has drawn the ire of Yankees fans multiple times in the past with theatrics during his home run trot. While rounding the bases after a home run on April 7, Guerrero pointed to fans while he was between first and second base, stopped near shortstop and hopped, and -- as he passed third -- raised his right index finger to his lips.
China's Premier Li Qiang speaks during the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 16, 2024.
Denis Balibouse | Reuters
DALIAN, China — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday defended the country's technological development while criticizing efforts to restrict global cooperation.
His remarks, at the opening of the World Economic Forum's "Summer Davos" meeting in Dalian, China, came amid rising tensions with the EU over imports of Chinese electric cars.
"The rapid rise of China's new industries is rooted in our unique comparative advantages," Li said via an official English translation of his Mandarin-language remarks.
He noted the country's large market, industrial network, labor force, diverse application scenarios and receptive consumers.
"That is how China's emerging industries get their competitiveness," Li said.
"In many ways the depth of international cooperation determines the height of human development, so it's essential that we embrace each other with open arms," Li said, noting the need to "reject" confrontation.
Andrzej Duda, president of Poland, and Pham Minh Chinh, prime minister of Vietnam, gave remarks after Li.
The Chinese premier held state-level meetings in China with the two leaders ahead of the "Summer Davos." Li had said in his meeting with Duda that China hoped the EU would view the country's development objectively and create a fair market, according to state media. Poland is part of the EU.
At the Forum's annual conference in Davos, Switzerland, in January, Li had said in a speech that technological innovation shouldn't be used as a way to restrict other countries.
Beijing has repeatedly asked Washington to remove restrictions on Chinese companies that prevent them from buying advanced technology from U.S. firms.
Economic outlook
Li on Tuesday said China's economic growth would remain "steady" in the second quarter, and that he was "confident" the country was "capable" of achieving the official growth target of 5% for this year.
China earlier this month reported data for May that showed retail sales grew by 3.7% from a year ago, beating expectations, while figures on industrial activity grew less than forecast. Real estate's drag on the economy persisted, the data showed, while exports have held up as a supporter of growth.
When asked by World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab on stage about China's economic policy, Li drew analogies from traditional Chinese medicine and boxing for explaining why Beijing was pursuing a more targeted and compilation-of-parts approach.
"In the past years we've been taking a lot of measures and done a lot that are aimed at keeping the [economic] roots healthy," Li said, noting Beijing's efforts to support technological innovation and businesses.
He said that China was adding support for its aging population and looking to it as a new driver of growth. Li did not elaborate on efforts to boost consumption beyond a previously announced trade-in policy.
File photo of Washington Nationals' CJ Abrams being greeted in the dugout after his solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Detroit. He and MacKenzie Gore came to DC in the Juan Soto trade. They're both shining, while Soto is no longer in San Diego.(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)(AP/Carlos Osorio)
The summer of possibilities is officially underway for the Washington Nationals, who took two of three games from Colorado over the weekend to move within one game of .500 and one-half game of the third Wild Card spot.
Their 12-9 mark in June has this team on the precipice of just their third winning month since the 2019 World Series (1-0 in October 2023 doesn’t qualify).
The series against the Rockies delivered a little bit of everything, from Sunday’s ninth-inning rally to Saturday’s loss due to a pitch-clock violation. Series against San Diego and Tampa Bay wrap up the month, before the club comes home.
Speaking of San Diego, the Padres are the very team that’s holding the final playoff spot in the National League. And they’re doing so minus the big bat the Nats traded them almost two years ago.
The Padres went all-in for 2022 with the deal for Juan Soto and that resulted in a trip to the NLCS. Soto drove in 109 runs last season for an underachieving .500 team (the 82-80 Padres had a +104-run differential), before he was traded to the New York Yankees for multiple players.
It’ll be a while to see how the likes of Jhony Brito, Kyle Higashioka and others shake out on the West Coast (Drew Thorpe was already traded to the White Sox).
But what is clear is the haul the Nats got in return for Soto two years ago: MacKenzie Gore is a front-of-rotation starter, while C.J. Abrams is the team’s best offensive player this year.
At the minor league level, James Wood is the team’s top prospect and is likely arriving in Washington in July or August, while Robert Hassell III is hitting .278 with 30 runs in 49 games for AA Harrisburg this year.
Even with slugger Luke Voit long gone (22 games with Milwaukee last year, Mexican League this year) and Jarlin Susana a long way from D.C. (the pitcher is currently in A Fredericksburg sporting a 5.44 ERA), the deal that jumpstarted the current Nationals run is paying off dividends.
Digesting the Division: Philadelphia (51-26) owns a seven-game lead in the NL East, and while Ranger Suarez is the Phillies pitcher everybody has their eyes on, Christopher Sanchez is maintaining his strong start (his 2.67 ERA is eighth-best in MLB).
Atlanta (43-32) took two of three in the Bronx, hitting six homers in their series win over the New York Yankees. Washington (38-39) remains in third place, one-half game ahead of the New York Mets (37-39) who won seven-straight after having the Grimace character from McDonald’s throw a ceremonial first pitch.
Unfortunately, fast food can only sustain one so much and the Mets have dropped two of four. Miami (27-50) is comfortably in the cellar, which is exactly where you’d expect a team that ranks 29th in runs and 27th in team ERA.
O’s Woes: Yes, the Orioles (49-28) took two of three from the AL East-leading New York Yankees, including the series finale, where they put 17 runs on the board.
But they then went into Houston and got swept by the Astros, allowing 27 runs over the weekend. So despite winning another series against the Pinstripes, the Birds remain 1.5 games back in the AL East — exactly where they were last week.
Diamonds Direct Diamond King: Lane Thomas scored six runs while driving in eight. Last year the outfielder set career highs in just about every offensive category and was off to a somewhat slow start (batting .182 in 22 March/April games) in 2024, before missing a month with injury.
It looks Thomas is back on track now (.295 with 17 RBI in 20 June games).
Last Week’s Heroes: C.J. Abrams, despite missing multiple games with a cyst on his hand, hit .444 while Jesse Winker batted .313 with a pair of homers. Dylan Floro went 2-0 while tossing 3.1 scoreless innings, while Patrick Corbin allowed just one run over five innings in his lone start.
Last Week’s Humbled: Six days after striking out 13, DJ Herz allowed four runs (three earned) over 3.2 innings Friday in Colorado, while MacKenzie Gore allowed four runs over five innings. Nick Senzel hit .176 while striking out five times in 17 at bats and Ildemaro Vargas batted .111.
Game to Watch: Jake Irvin may not be the splashy centerpiece to the Juan Soto trade (MacKenzie Gore) nor one of this year’s rookie phenoms (DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker), but the righthander owns the best June ERA in the rotation and is coming off of a 10-strikeout performance. Irvin pitches in San Diego Wednesday.
Game to Miss: Tampa Bay is a sub-.500 team playing in a substandard ballpark. Sunday the Nats wrap up the month by pitching Patrick Corbin against the Rays. Enjoy the pool…
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The Milwaukee Bucks have spent the past year or so doing everything in their power to stop being the Milwaukee Bucks. Mike Budenholzer, the architect of the four-out offense and drop-coverage defense that took them from .500 to a championship, was fired after a first-round loss to the Miami Heat and replaced by Adrian Griffin, who was determined to reinvent the Bucks as a faster, more versatile team. The defense took another hit when Jrue Holiday was swapped out for Damian Lillard, theoretically fixing the half-court offensive woes that had plagued Milwaukee through previous playoff runs at the expense of the identity Milwaukee had spent years cultivating.
And now, according to Yahoo's Jake Fischer, they are "gauging the trade value for Brook Lopez." The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor hinted at why when he wrote that "there are rumblings that the Bucks would like to play a more versatile style of defense next season." Budenholzer built the system. Holiday supercharged it. But Lopez, perhaps more than any other Buck besides Giannis Antetokounmpo, made it possible.
Milwaukee needed a center who could shoot 3-pointers to properly space the floor for Antetokounmpo. Lopez was slowly growing into that sort of big man before arriving in Milwaukee, and he got there fully once he joined the Bucks. His defense was the major surprise. After years as a defensive liability, Lopez became a nearly stationary rim-protector in Budenholzer's system. He thrived in that role thanks to his sturdy frame, long wingspan and under-appreciated basketball IQ, which combined made the rim all but impenetrable. Antetokounmpo could then function as a weak-side help defender and wreak havoc everywhere else. The Bucks perpetually ranked among the NBA's best defenses. Throw in Lopez's ability to function as an offensive hub in the post when Antetokounmpo rested or got hurt and he was effectively the perfect Bucks center.
The Bucks might find another big man who can shoot. They might find another big man who can protect the rim like he can. The odds of finding one who can do both are slim. The odds of finding one who can do both without Budenholzer scheming it up get slimmer. The odds of finding one without Budenholzer who can do all of these things and carry an offense for stretches or even games are nonexistent because there just aren't many other versions of that player in all of basketball. Do the Bucks have a path to trading for Joel Embiid? Of course not, so any Lopez move means conceding at least one and probably multiple key traits that have made the Bucks who they are over the past half-decade.
And hey, sometimes drastic identity changes are necessary and even successful. How many times did we hear people call Marcus Smart the "heart and soul" of the Boston Celtics? Trading him proved to be a necessary step in Boston's quest for a title. Milwaukee's identity may already have been irrevocably shifted by the Holiday trade anyway. The Bucks had the worst collection of perimeter defenders in the NBA last season. Lopez and Antetokounmpo did what they could at the rim, and Doc Rivers even shifted the scheme back in Budenholzer's direction after he replaced Griffin, but they ultimately ranked 19th in defense because none of the guards could stay in front of anyone. The Bucks have traded away most of their draft picks and don't have much matching salary for trade purposes. It was just hard to imagine them fixing their point-of-attack problems without sacrificing a core piece somewhere, and no level of rim-protection is enough to offset olé defense on the perimeter. Go ask Rudy Gobert why Utah's defense always got so much worse in the playoffs.
The Bucks might not be wrong to seek major changes to their playing style. This is an offense-first team now built around Lillard and Antetokounmpo. Perhaps the rest of the roster should reflect that. Maybe Giannis, nearing his 30th birthday, is best served playing center moving forward. Even if he isn't, the Bucks just aren't asset-rich enough to find perimeter help and a center stylistically suited to playing alongside Antetokounmpo, so unless Bobby Portis is stepping in at center, it might be a compromise the team has to make. Maybe a bit more athleticism would serve Milwaukee on offense as much as it would on defense. That's not a crazy concept. The problem here probably lies in execution. It might not even be possible for the Bucks to make the changes they're seeking here.
Lopez is 36 with a history of back injuries. There are a bunch of teams that could probably use him, but like the Bucks, they're all in win-now mode and probably won't be too eager to give Milwaukee the perimeter pieces it is looking for in such a swap. A deal centered around draft capital probably doesn't do Milwaukee any good unless they could redirect it a third party for veteran help. It's just hard to imagine the Bucks finding a player good enough to justify giving away perhaps the single best possible front-court partner for Antetokounmpo in the entire league.
The Grizzlies need a Steven Adams replacement, and getting one who can shoot like Lopez does would make Ja Morant an even more lethal driver. But Memphis is young and has a long runway ahead. Why trade for Lopez when it could just use the No. 9 pick to either trade up for Donovan Clingan or seek a more permanent solution like Walker Kessler? The Bucks would probably love Marcus Smart in such a swap. The Grizzlies don't have the perimeter defense to make that swap worthwhile. Maybe the No. 9 pick could go to a third party? Dorian Finney-Smith and Jerami Grant are definitely gettable at that price point, but Memphis would have to miss on all of its younger targets before seriously considering trading a top-10 pick for a 36-year-old player.
Is Lu Dort at all on the table now that the Thunder have Alex Caruso? Lopez would address Oklahoma City's interior issues on a short-term basis, which is the goal given the two-year window the Thunder have before Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams get expensive. Lopez would allow the Thunder to continue playing five-out without forcing Holmgren to defend bigger opposing centers, and by the time Lopez ages out, Holmgren might have bulked up enough to handle that role. If Oklahoma City uses Dort to address the center hole, it can then redirect its cap space to other pursuits.
The Thunder usually don't make young-for-old trades, so Milwaukee would have to find a way to bridge the value gap. Oklahoma City would probably love to get its hands on Milwaukee's unprotected 2031 first-round pick, for instance. That might be a bit too much for the Bucks, but the seven-year rule more or less demands that the pick be unprotected because it cannot roll over into future years. Maybe unprotected swap rights in 2031 would be a fair compromise? The only other first-round pick the Bucks have access to is No. 23 this year.
Dort is on a fair contract for the next three years. That coincides with the eventual rookie extension for Cason Wallace. Oklahoma City really only considers this if the plan is for Wallace to occupy Dort's salary slot after that, with Caruso in place in the interim. Even then, it would be pretty out of character for the Thunder, not just because of his youth and fit, but because this just isn't a team that wants or needs an identity shift as badly as the Bucks do. Outside of schematic misfits like Josh Giddey, they tend to take care of their own. They want to continue growing as a group. Dort, one of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's closest friends, is important to that locker room.
Moves like these represent the sort of upgrades it would take for a Lopez trade to be worthwhile, because even moving Antetokounmpo to center (or slotting Bobby Portis into that role) doesn't inject enough athleticism defensively to succeed playing another way. They need a high-end perimeter player to survive defensively without Lopez, and there just isn't much of a track record in recent NBA history of teams giving that kind of player up for a 36-year-old.
The closest analogues would probably be the Charles Oakley trade in 1999, which sent the then-35-year-old Knicks icon to Toronto for the much younger Marcus Camby, or Brooklyn's ill-fated 2013 trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, which gave the Celtics the draft picks that would one day become Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. More often, trades of big men at that age tend to look like the 2009 deal Cleveland made for Shaquille O'Neal: matching salary, a bit of cash and a second-round pick.
There are cleaner ways of upgrading the Bucks that aren't as drastic, but don't carry as much upside, either. Maybe there are deals that send out Portis and/or Pat Connaughton as matching salary along with No. 23 or that 2031 pick for a cheaper perimeter defender, someone who would allow the Bucks to at least play decent enough defense in their Lopez-centric drop-scheme to win games on offense. It may be narrow, but this is the "keep playing like the Bucks" path. The difficulty they will probably have in extracting fair value for the 36-year-old Lopez means it's the likeliest one for Milwaukee.
But the Bucks have spent the past year or so veering away from the "keep playing like the Bucks" path, and Lopez is the player that ties them to that style. It makes sense that they'd explore moving him. It just might be too late to do so for what they would consider fair value.
"trade" - Google News
June 23, 2024 at 09:01PM
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Bucks are reportedly exploring Brook Lopez trades in search of a reinvention that may not even be possible - CBS Sports
"trade" - Google News
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