NBA

• 76ers sign PF Montrezl Harrell to two-year, $5.2M contract
  • The 76ers badly needed depth behind Joel Embiid, as it’s tough to count on Paul Reed and Charles Bassey at this point in time. Harrell is an abysmal defender, so lineups featuring the big man without either Matisse Thybulle or P.J. Tucker could be problematic. Regardless, if James Harden can somewhat return to form and Joel Embiid stays healthy, the 76ers should be a force to be reckoned with in a loaded Eastern Conference.

MLB

• Pirates 8 Mets 2
  • The results for the team aren’t there at the big league level currently, but the Pirates have some talent throughout their system. Oneil Cruz, after some normal struggles early, has been awesome for awhile now. Cruz, who went 3-5 with a homer in this game, can be a special player if he develops properly.
• Orioles 9 Blue Jays 6
  • With the promotion of Gunnar Henderson, the Orioles have a decent amount of lineup firepower. At this point, Baltimore just needs more out of its starting pitching. This win was huge, though, as the Orioles still hold a sliver of hope in securing a wild card spot.
• Cubs 9 Reds 3
  • The Cubs made waves by dealing Scott Effross, a reliever with a significant amount of team control remaining, to acquire Hayden Wesneski. Yesterday, that trade beared fruit for Chicago, as Wesneski tossed five excellent innings in relief. The Cubs have done an excellent job developing pitching in recent years — a far cry from their contending days with the previous core.
• Cardinals 4 Nationals 1
  • I’ve been ignoring this for too long — rookie Joey Meneses, a 30-year-old, has been raking for Washington. Posting a .957 OPS, Meneses has helped the Nats outperform expectations following the Juan Soto trade.
• Guardians 4 Royals 1
  • Shane Bieber can be so dominant at times for Cleveland. I was considering him and Kyle Wright as my pitcher for DFS last night, and suffice to say, I should’ve went with the Guardians’ ace, as opposed to Wright.
• Mariners 3 White Sox 0
  • Exciting times in Seattle. The club hasn’t appeared in the postseason since 2001 — the M’s won 116 games that year, but that’ll change this season. Seattle should be dangerous in October, as well. Logan Gilbert, yesterday’s starter, is one of the many reasons why.
• Dodgers 6 Giants 3
  • Look out for Max Muncy. The Dodgers infielder got off to such a slow start that his numbers won’t find their level this season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a key piece on an incredible Dodgers roster down the stretch. Homering twice in this contest, it would be no surprise if Muncy helps power Los Angeles to its fourth World Series appearance in six years.