NBA

Heat sign SG Josh Christopher to two-way contract

Christopher, still only 22, was thrust into action on some messy Rockets teams in 2022 and 2023. Predictably, the guard wasn’t ready, struggling with turnovers and poor outside shooting. Things may be different now, as Christopher had a strong summer with the Heat, earning him this two-way deal. There could be some untapped potential remaining in the Arizona State product.

Grade: B-

MLB

Orioles 7, Marlins 6

Anthony Santander is quietly third in MLB with 28 home runs after blasting one in the first inning of this game.

Now that every team has played at least 100 games, I’m beginning to wonder how many players will hit 40 or more homers this season. Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are basically locks — Judge already has 35 and Ohtani has 30 — but will anybody else get there? Almost certainly, but it’ll be interesting to see how many. I predict Marcell Ozuna, Gunnar Henderson and Juan Soto will join Judge and Ohtani.

Padres 3, Nationals 0

Dylan Cease’s ERA is a merely solid 3.50, but the Padres’ ace is among the most talented starters in the game. The righty’s arsenal was in full force in this game, as Cease spun a no-hitter, the first of his career, but probably not the last.

San Diego is heading in the right direction at 55-50, but battles await. The Padres will take on the Orioles and Dodgers in their next two series.

Tigers 3, Guardians 0

Much has been made about the trade prospects of Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty for the Tigers — moving Skubal would be moronic — but Andrew Chafin’s name has been curiously absent from most Detroit-based deadline discussions. It shouldn’t. Chafin, 34, isn’t the pitcher he was in 2021 and 2022, but he can still serve as an effective middle-relief option for a contender. The left-hander threw 1 1/3 innings yesterday and lowered his ERA to 3.25.

Time to acquire some bats, Cleveland. The Guardians have scored 471 runs this season — a perfectly fine total — but it’s easy to envision Cleveland’s lineup getting shut down by elite postseason pitching.

Rangers 2, White Sox 1

The Rangers are going to give general manager Chris Young a decision to make next week, aren’t they? Texas has now won five in a row, improving to 51-52, just 2.5 games back in the pedestrian AL West.

At worst, Texas should hold. It would be difficult to justify pulling the plug on a roster that just won the World Series nine months ago. The players deserve the opportunity to defend their title, even if their performance thus far has mediocre.

I figured the White Sox would collect enough wins to avoid history. I might’ve been wrong. Chicago has dropped 11 in a row, leading to a 27-78 mark, and at this point, it’s fair to wonder if this is one of the worst teams of all-time.

The 2003 Tigers finished 43-119, good for a .265 win percentage. Right now, Chicago sits at a measly .257, still above the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics, who won .235 percent of their games. For the 2024 White Sox, history awaits. The only question is how dubious said history will be.

Rays 13, Blue Jays 0

Taj Bradley is a keeper. The 23-year-old’s rookie campaign fell flat, culminating in a 5.59 ERA over 21 starts. Year two has been a different story, though. Bradley has been a rock for Kevin Cash, regularly flummoxing opponents like he did yesterday. The right-hander was good for six shutout frames in this win, dipping his ERA to 2.43.

If the Blue Jays weren’t already planning on selling, this loss likely planted the club in that direction. Toronto is dead in the water, now 10 games below .500 and without a shot of hope in the postseason race.

Dodgers 6, Giants 4

Los Angeles needs starting pitching, so getting the greatest pitcher of this generation back from injury certainly helps matters, even if he’s 36 years old. The Dodgers won’t be getting 2014 Clayton Kershaw — they aren’t asking for that — but if Kershaw can provide a steady hand in the rotation, that could be enough to propel the Dodgers to the top of the baseball world this season. This game was a nice first step for Kershaw, as he struck out six across four innings.

The team’s -32 run differential doesn’t support the claim, but the Giants are better than their 49-55 record, and should be frustrated. It simply hasn’t come together for San Francisco this season following the high-profile signings of Blake Snell and Matt Chapman. Rather than giving up, though, the Giants should stand pat at the trade deadline and see if the season’s final two months bear sweeter fruit than the prior four.

Mets 3, Braves 2

Hot streaks from Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil are almost single-handedly keeping this successful run by the Mets going. Last night, the duo drove in all three of New York’s runs.

Diamondbacks receive: RP A.J. Puk

Marlins receive: 3B Deyvison De Los Santos and CF Andrew Pintar

Arizona was seeking a bullpen arm, and Puk checks that box. With two years of team control remaining after 2024, all the better for the Diamondbacks, who made this deal without surrendering significant prospect capital.

Miami should be doing all it can short of a fire sale to acquire help for the future, so moving Puk is the right idea. The problem, though, is that the Marlins didn’t get enough for the solid left-handed reliever.

Diamondbacks Grade: B+

Marlins Grade: C-