The pads are on and players are getting paid across the league as NFL training camp rolls on and teams near their preseason openers.

Tuesday saw several contract extensions across the NFL, with three members of the 2023 draft class setting new benchmarks at their respective positions. And with the first bit of preseason action right around the corner, the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers have each named their starting quarterbacks for Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game. 

Here’s all the news you need to know from Tuesday around the NFL. 

Bijan Robinson’s hold-in is over.

The star running back agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Atlanta Falcons worth up to $75 million on Tuesday, with $51 million guaranteed.

Robinson’s average annual salary of $22.25 million makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, moving past Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley ($20.6 million). 

Robinson becomes the second running back in NFL history guaranteed over $40 million, following rookie Jeremiyah Love’s fully guaranteed $53 million deal. Robinson’s $51 million guaranteed leads all veteran running back contracts, topping Barkley ($36 million) and Ashton Jeanty ($35.9 million).

The agreement establishes a new standard for top-tier running backs as Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs continues his own hold-in while seeking an extension. As Gibbs has arguably been better than Robinson for most of their respective careers, the Falcons running back might not hold the record for the highest-paid player in the history of the position for long. 

The Baltimore Ravens will sign wide receiver Zay Flowers to a four-year, $140 million contract extension with $108 million guaranteed. The agreement replaces Flowers’ 2027 fifth-year rookie option, which Baltimore exercised in April.

The $35 million average annual value ties Flowers with Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson for the fourth-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. Only Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($42.15 million), Ja’Marr Chase ($40.25 million), and Drake London ($35.26 million) hold higher average annual salaries. Flowers’ contract places his annual salary ahead of CeeDee Lamb, DK Metcalf, Garrett Wilson, and A.J. Brown.

Zay Flowers has recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

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With Flowers and New Orleans Saints star Chris Olave each getting extensions over the last week, that only sets the bar for Los Angeles Rams All-Pro Puka Nacua to receive an extremely rich deal over the offseason. Nacua is entering the final year of his rookie contract, but isn’t expected to be extended before the start of the season. The extension for Flowers could also set the bar for what George Pickens might get next offseason after the Dallas Cowboys franchise tagged him this offseason.

Flowers set a Ravens single-season record for a wide receiver with 1,211 receiving yards in 2025. His receiving output represented 36.9% of Baltimore’s total receiving yards, trailing only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (44.1%) for the highest share in the league. 

Since entering the NFL in 2023, Flowers ranks third in receiving yards among his draft class with 3,128 yards, behind Nacua (4,191) and Smith-Njigba (3,551).

The Chicago Bears agreed to terms with All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright on a four-year, $116 million contract extension that includes $93 million guaranteed. The deal includes the most guaranteed money for an offensive lineman in NFL history, per NFL Network.

The former first-round selection locks in his long-term future in Chicago as the highest-paid right tackle in the league.

The Bears drafted Wright with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 draft and has started 49 out of 51 games the past three seasons. Wright earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2025.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders reportedly took all first-team reps for the Cleveland Browns during training camp Tuesday. Sanders completed 21 of 25 passes with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions, per ESPN Cleveland.

Deshaun Watson reportedly completed 5 of 11 passes with no touchdowns or interceptions. Dillon Gabriel finished 4 of 7 with one interception. 

As the Browns’ quarterback competition heats up, Sanders gave a quote that instantly went viral when he was asked if he’s ever been in a quarterback competition. 

“Yeah, I have, me vs. myself,” Sanders replied. 

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was seen catching passes in an unconventional fashion at Tuesday’s practice. Lamb wore a net covering his helmet and facemask while catching passes from the Jugs machine during training camp. 

As Lamb is using unconventional ways to practice catching the ball, he’s also prioritizing his health ahead of the 2026 season. 

“For one, for me, it’s all about being healthy, being available for my team, because the last two years, that wasn’t the case,” Lamb told reporters on Sunday. “So, just overall health and being able to lead, and teach the younger guys and, overall, I gotta go be me – going out there, making plays, helping the guys, and scoring.” 

Lamb missed three games last season due to an ankle injury. 

Third-round rookie Carson Beck will start at quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals in Thursday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Carolina Panthers in Canton, Ohio, the team announced Monday

Jacoby Brissett and backup Gardner Minshew II are reportedly unlikely to play.

Carolina head coach Dave Canales confirmed Kenny Pickett will start the Hall of Fame Game for the Panthers. 

Pickett is reportedly expected to play a few series, with the rest of the work to be handled by undrafted rookie Haynes King.

 

• Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jalon Walker reportedly sustained a lower leg injury during Tuesday’s practice. The Falcons’ initial fear is that Walker tore his ACL. Walker, reportedly, will have an MRI to confirm the injury.
• Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater reportedly had to enter the medical tent due to injury Tuesday. Slater later observed individual drills while holding his helmet as Trey Pipkins and Branson Taylor split repetitions at left tackle in his place.
• Denver Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto limped off the field to the locker room during practice. Head coach Sean Payton said Bonitto will “be fine” and provided no further update.
• Carolina Panthers receiver Xavier Legette was reportedly carted off the field with a stinger injury Tuesday. However, Panthers head coach Dave Canales later said that Legette didn’t suffer a concussion and would be OK.
• The Steelers hosted veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins for a tryout on Tuesday.

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James Cook treats carrying the football the same way he answers questions about his past accomplishments.

The Buffalo Bills running back does both by solely looking forward.

So there was no point in asking Cook to reflect on last year, when he used a brief training camp hold-in as leverage to get a new contract, and then proved his worth by leading the NFL with 1,621 yards rushing.

“I don’t like to talk about last year, because last year is in the past. This year is a new year,” Cook said last week. “Put last year behind me, and just come out here to do it again.”

That would be difficult for anyone, given that only two players since 2001 have won consecutive NFL rushing titles — Derrick Henry (2019-20) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2006-07).

Propelling the 26-year-old Cook’s belief entering his fifth season are a healthy dose of self-confidence, an offensive line that remains mostly intact and newly promoted head coach Joe Brady’s offensive scheme.

Despite Josh Allen’s strong arm and improvisational skills, the Bills split rushing and passing attempts evenly during Brady’s two-plus seasons as offensive coordinator. Brady sees no reason to change course or to reduce Cook’s workload this year.

“I expect James Cook to take another step this year in different elements of his game and continue to be the workhorse as a runner,” Brady said.

“And he wants it, right?” he added. “He had such an incredible season last year. And without diving into exactly what, this is what I told him: He has got to get better. We can’t take steps backwards.”

Cook’s power and elusiveness were on display in practice Tuesday, Buffalo’s first full day in pads.

On the first team drill, Cook took a handoff and burst through a hole on the left side for what would have been a 5-yard gain, and then sprung back up off the ground and kept running. A few minutes later, on a sweep to the right, Cook turned the corner and lowered his shoulder pad directly into the midsection of safety Cole Bishop.

“It’s a new year, and he going to do the same thing that he did last year, having that intensity,” Bishop said.

Cook led the NFL last season with nine games of 100 yards rushing or more, and his 12 rushing TDs were fourth in the league. He had a career-high 309 carries and averaged a career-best 5.2 yards per attempt, which tied for second in the NFL.

His only blemish has been ball security. He lost four of seven fumbles, including one at the Denver 30 in a 33-30 overtime loss in a divisional-round playoff game.

Brady made a point to remind Cook about protecting the ball after the running back lost a fumble early in camp.

“I fumbled. So I just got to fix it,” Cook said. “The ball is everybody’s job, and that’s my job. I’m willing to protect it.”

Make no mistake, Cook thrives on challenges.

He did so last year by withholding his services before eventually landing a four-year, $48 million contract.

“I wouldn’t say stress. I wasn’t stressing,” Cook said.

His calm approach to the contract dispute, and how he performed after signing the deal, impressed his teammates.

“I learned that he is very explosive, and he’s the man, and he takes care of business on the field and off the field,” running back Ray Davis said. “He’s going to continue to excel in that way and prove that he earned every dollar.”

Cook has his sights set higher this year, for himself and the Bills.

“I’m looking forward to doing even bigger things. So whatever that is, I’m willing to do it,” he said.

Buffalo has underperformed in the playoffs. The Bills are the NFL’s first team to win a playoff game in six straight postseason appearances without reaching a Super Bowl.

“It’s on us. The ball is in our hands,” Cook said. “We control our own destiny. So whatever we do is on us. Eventually, it’s going to happen.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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George Lombard Jr. homered in a memorable big league debut and the New York Yankees beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 on Tuesday night.

In the fifth inning, Lombard drove an 0-2 sweeper from starter Hunter Dobbins (2-2) into the left-field seats for his first career hit. As he completed his first home run trot in the majors, Lombard’s parents hugged in the stands.

Lombard’s 392-foot shot gave New York a 2-0 lead and made him the first Yankees shortstop to homer in his major league debut. It was the first homer by any Yankees player in his big league debut since Jasson Dominguez went deep in his initial plate appearance against Justin Verlander in Houston on Sept. 1, 2023.

At 21 years, 63 days old, Lombard became the sixth-youngest Yankees player since 1985 to make his debut and the second-youngest shortstop in that span. Derek Jeter debuted May 29, 1995, in Seattle at 20 years, 337 days.

Lombard also helped Ryan Weathers (5-7) pitch six strong innings by starting inning-ending double plays in the second and fifth.

In the second, Lombard ranged to his right to field Blaze Jordan’s grounder and made an off-balance throw to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. In the fifth, Lombard ranged to his left, fielded Nathan Church’s grounder behind second base, stepped on the bag and made a clean throw to first baseman Ben Rice.

Chisholm also homered in the second as the Yankees won for the 10th time in 16 games.

Weathers allowed four hits in his second straight scoreless start. The lefty struck out six, walked none and stranded two in the sixth when Yankees newcomer Heliot Ramos charged in to catch Jose Fermin’s flyball to left field.

David Bednar got four outs for his 25th save in 27 chances to complete New York’s AL-best 12th shutout.

Dobbins allowed two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals were blanked for the sixth time. They scratched All-Star outfielder Jordan Walker shortly before first pitch due to right knee inflammation.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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The New York Yankees reportedly traded relief pitcher Camilo Doval to the Pittsburgh Pirates, per Jeff Passan. 

Doval has a 3-1 record, one save and a 4.54 ERA over 39.2 appearances for the Yankees in 2026. This is the second straight time Doval has been moved at MLB’s trade deadline, as the San Francisco Giants shipped him to the Yankees last July. 

Camilo Doval appeared in 66 games for the New York Yankees over the last two MLB seasons.  (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images)

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The Pirates are sending minor league prospects Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz to New York in exchange for Doval. 

Both New York and Pittsburgh are vying for MLB playoff spots. The Yankees (62-48) sit atop the American League wild card race and 2.5 games back of Tampa Bay in the AL East. The Pirates (55-56 are 2.5 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL wild card race. 

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U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a class-wide injunction, ruling that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this school year.

The ruling from Sweeney, a Colorado-based judge, will be appealed by the NCAA, as it undercuts the Age-Based Eligibility Model, the so-called “five for five” rule, which was instated in June 2026 with the intention of starting with athletes who enroll in college in fall 2027. 

While the NCAA builds its appeal, the transfer portal will be opened in college basketball from August 3-10 for newly eligible athletes. 

Sweeney’s ruling also has the potential to wreak havoc on rosters across the country — for instance, opening the possibility that an undrafted player in an NFL training camp or NBA summer league team could decide to try to head back to college for a fifth year this upcoming season.

In granting the preliminary injunction, Sweeney said the players “will suffer irreparable harm without” it. She did not sign onto the governing body’s argument that applying the new rule retroactively would create “roster chaos.”

But NCAA President Charlie Baker said it would in responding to the rulings while referencing a bill in Congress designed to provide the NCAA antitrust protection on the eligibility issues.

“Today’s rulings and the chaos they bring to college sports are exactly why it’s time to pass this bill,” Baker said.

The Colorado ruling came hours after a Tennessee court granted Jalen Washington, who most recently played at Vanderbilt, and 18 other basketball players a fifth season of eligibility. In addition to Washington, athletes such as Donovan Dent, Cade Tyson, Xaivian Lee, and more, have entered the transfer portal with the hope this ruling sticks. 

Jalen Washington and a slew of class of 2022 athletes will rejoin college basketball with the hopes of returning to their team or entering the transfer portal after a federal ruling in Colorado. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)

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In June, the NCAA approved its new eligibility model for Division I athletes that will allow five seasons of competition over a five-year period that begins with their full-time enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.

While the ruling in Tennessee applied to those 19 basketball players, the one in Colorado cast a wider net, granting the class certification the plaintiffs sought. It means the ruling applies to all Division I players who started their college careers in the 2022-23 season, not just a select list.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Carlos Correa’s recovery from surgery to repair a torn ankle tendon is progressing quicker than expected and on Saturday the Houston Astros’ star infielder didn’t rule out a return this season.

Correa was expected to miss the entire season after undergoing on his left ankle on May 11. But he is already doing everything except hitting, sparking hope that he could be back on the field sooner than expected.

“We’ll see,” he said when asked if he could play again this year. “I wouldn’t be doing all this work if I didn’t think there was a chance.”

After Correa was injured while taking swings in the batting cage, a timeline of six to eight months was given for his recovery. Manager Joe Espada said Saturday that Correa is ahead of schedule but knows that he still has a long way to go before he can return to the lineup.

“I’m just happy that he’s out here moving around and he actually looks really good,” Espada said.

(Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images)

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The 31-year-old Correa said he’s running at 80-90% and that he has a doctor’s appointment scheduled for Tuesday where he hopes to be cleared for hitting.

“I’m in a really good spot, a really good spot,” he said. “I don’t feel it. I’ve been progressing to running and sprinting and everything feels great.”

Houston has won nine of 10 games to vault into first place in the AL West and that has given Correa some extra juice as he eyes a return.

“The way we’ve been playing lately definitely motivates me even more to go out there, put in the work to try to make it back,” he said.

Correa isn’t surprised that he’s doing so well because of the plan he put together as soon as he was injured.

“I got on this protocol and I started looking for all the information I could into how to speed up the process and the things that I needed to eat and how I needed to sleep, the type of treatment I needed” he said. “And we’ve been doing a great job with that, so we’re in a good spot.”

Correa, who is back with the Astros after last summer’s blockbuster trade from the Twins, played third base for Houston last season with Jeremy Pena at shortstop. Before his injury this season he returned to shortstop while Peña was out with a hamstring injury.

Correa has salaries of $31.5 million this season, $30.5 million in 2027 and $30 million in 2028. As part of the trade, the Twins will pay the Astros $10 million each Dec. 15 from this year through 2028.

Correa was hitting .279 with three home runs and 16 RBIs this season. The No. 1 pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa spent his first seven seasons with the Astros before signing with the Twins where he spent 3 1/2 seasons before last summer’s trade.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The Chicago White Sox are buying in their World Series contention window ahead of Monday’s MLB trade deadline.

The White Sox, with an AL Central-leading record of 58-52, are acquiring starting right-handed pitcher Luis Castillo in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for reliever Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones and catching prospect Boston Smith, according to a report from ESPN on Saturday.

Castillo has posted a 5.06 ERA in 99 ⅔ innings this season.

The struggling Mariners, who are four games below .500 and trail the Houston Astros by three games in the AL West, elected to part ways with one of their longest-tenured players ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.

Castillo, 33, is under contract through the 2027 season with a vesting option for 2028. He is 3-9 with 86 strikeouts and a 5.06 ERA across 99 2/3 innings.

The Mariners have a surplus of starting pitching options. At one point in the 2026 season, manager Dan Wilson paired Castillo and right-hander Bryce Miller in a “piggyback” to ensure Seattle’s six starting pitchers were all able to regularly appear in games.

Without Castillo, the Mariners still have Miller, former first-round pick Emerson Hancock, George Kirby and former All-Stars Logan Gilbert and Bryan Woo.

Domínguez, 31, is 4-3 with a 4.10 ERA in 42 games this season. Jones, 28, did not appear in a game for Chicago, instead splitting his time between Triple-A Charlotte and Triple-A Columbus, the top affiliate for the Cleveland Guardians.

Smith, 23, is hitting .291 with 22 home runs and 58 RBIs across stints at three minor league levels.

The Washington Nationals selected Smith in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB draft, and traded him to Chicago in March for utility man Curtis Mead.

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A two-time reigning Cy Young Award-winning pitcher has just been traded to the two-time defending champions.

The Detroit Tigers have sent left-hander Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In exchange, Detroit will get three prospects in outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith.

The Dodgers announced the deal on Sunday before their series finale against the Red Sox. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman announced that Skubal’s first start for his new team will come on Tuesday at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.

“I’m excited to be a Dodger,” Skubal told reporters after the Tigers’ game on Saturday against the A’s. “I’m excited to get down there and meet all those guys and chase three championships in a row. That’s hard to do, so I’m so excited to a part of that. But it’s a lot of different emotions. Definitely kind of a roller coaster a little bit.”

The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and were already the favorites to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 before adding Skubal. Los Angeles began the season with a $323.3 million opening-day payroll for their 40-man roster and a $163.7 million tax for a $487.1 million total. They will pay Skubal about $9.5 million for the remainder of the season.

Skubal was by far the best player on the trade block and the biggest potential difference-maker available. He will be a free agent this season and is making $32 million after winning his arbitration case last winter.

The Dodgers made the deal with a bit of uncertainty in their starting rotation. Lefty Blake Snell is rehabbing a shoulder injury and is going to make one more rehab start before returning to the Dodgers’ rotation, while Tyler Glasnow (back) is about to begin his rehab assignment.

Also, Shohei Ohtani has been sidelined from the mound because of a knee injury, although manager Dave Roberts is optimistic he will pitch again this season.

Still, the Dodgers have World Series hero Yoshinobu Yamamoto and All-Star Justin Wrobleski leading what is still a strong rotation. They have now added one of the best pitchers in baseball to the equation.

Tarik Skubal will make an already formidable Dodgers rotation even better. (Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

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For the Tigers, Skubal has been an absolute machine over the past three seasons. He threw at least 190 innings in both 2024 and 2025 and won the American League Cy Young Award in both years.

So far this season, Skubal has a 2.79 ERA in 16 starts. He missed about a month and a half after a loose body was discovered in his throwing elbow. He underwent an arthroscopic procedure to relieve the bone chip.

Skubal returned on June 13 and allowed nine runs over his first 16 ⅓ innings. In six starts since, Skubal has a 1.95 ERA over 37 innings, during which he had 50 strikeouts against just six walks. Suffice to say, he is being traded while pitching as well as he has all season.

Skubal’s last start for the Tigers came on Wednesday in Detroit, when he was lifted after 6 ⅔ innings with six strikeouts and one walk, while allowing one run before the bullpen allowed both inherited runners to score.

The Dodgers are in first place in the NL West and were already the favorites to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 before adding Skubal.

The 29-year-old lefty said in July that it was his preference to finish the season with the Tigers to compete for a World Series championship, which has eluded the franchise since 1984.

Detroit planned to contend again this season, bolstering the Skubal-led rotation by giving two-time All-Star pitcher Framber Valdez a $115 million, three-year contract in free agency and retaining three-time All-Star infielder Gleyber Torres with a $22 million deal.

The Tigers, though, got off to a rough start and slumped to 16 games under .500 with about 100 games remaining.

They bounced back in June and most of July to get into playoff contention with Skubal leading a rotation and three All-Stars in the lineup: rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle, catcher Dillon Dingler and outfielder Riley Greene.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Another superstar heads to L.A. on what feels like a bargain deal.

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LOS ANGELES — Shortly before first pitch Saturday night at Double-A Tulsa, Dodgers outfield prospects Zyhir Hope and Kendall George were scratched from the lineup. Nearly 1,500 miles away, eyes began to dart toward the home dugout at Dodger Stadium, where pitcher Emmet Sheehan stood on the top step.

Surely, the Dodgers had to be working on a deal for Tarik Skubal, the prize of the deadline.

And, surely, if the Dodgers managed to put together a package strong enough to land the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner, Sheehan, All-Star Justin Wrobleski or one of the Dodgers’ talented regulars had to be the headliner.

… Only, there were no hugs goodbye in Los Angeles.

Sheehan remained glued to the top step of the dugout throughout Saturday night’s loss to the Red Sox, which turned out to be the Dodgers’ most joyous series defeat of the season. Minutes after the loss, Sheehan still hadn’t heard anything indicating he was gone.

Right before the Dodgers’ clubhouse closed, the news broke. Skubal, the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner, would be joining the back-to-back champs.

And it wouldn’t cost the Dodgers any of their big-league talent.

Hope (but not George) was part of the eventual package of prospects the Dodgers sent to Detroit, along with right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith.

Here are four takeaways from the Dodgers’ trade for Skubal:

1. … That’s all it took?

(Photo by Shanna Stafford/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

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“That’s all?” one Dodgers player asked after hearing the return for Skubal.

He was incredulous, not because he didn’t believe in the prospects going back to Detroit; it’s just … this is Skubal we’re talking about. The guy who had 228 strikeouts two years ago. The guy who had 241 strikeouts last year. The guy who just set a record in salary arbitration. The guy who came back from an elbow procedure in a little over a month, then continued his dominant ways.

And the Dodgers got him without needing to send Sheehan or All-Star Justin Wrobleski. Without needing to send top outfield prospects Josue De Paula, Mike Sirota or Eduardo Quintero.

Without needing Skubal at all.

Where were the other top contenders? The Brewers were swept by the Dodgers in last year’s NLCS and had maybe the only group of prospects that could have challenged the Dodgers’ best offer. The Braves and Cubs both needed an ace far more than the Dodgers. The Rays have a clear path toward winning the American League and a load of prospects who could have enticed the Tigers.

None of them could offer more than Hope, Ryan and Smith?

It’s a decision those clubs may come to regret, as the favorites to win a third straight World Series title just saw their chances get even better.

2. This Could Be The Best Rotation Ever

The Dodgers have the most talented lineup in the game, a group that has amassed the highest OPS in the sport even with many of their top contributors yet to perform to their capabilities.

And now, Skubal leads one of the most ridiculous collections of pitching talent ever assembled.

That group includes the reigning World Series MVP, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers also have another two-time Cy Young Award winner, Blake Snell, nearing his return from injury. They have a former All-Star in Tyler Glasnow about to begin a rehab assignment. They have another current All-Star in the rotation in Justin Wrobleski, plus more talented depth arms in Sheehan and Roki Sasaki. And, of course, they have a four-time MVP in Shohei Ohtani, who isn’t pitching now due to a sore knee but is expected back on the mound before season’s end.

For all of these reasons, the Dodgers’ front office claimed it had “no acute need” this deadline. It felt good about the talent in place and the way it meshed together. This was the least desperate president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said that he felt at the deadline.

And yet…these are the Dodgers. They shared similar sentiments this winter, too, before turning around and signing the best player (Kyle Tucker) and closer (Edwin Díaz) on the market.

“That said,” Friedman told me earlier this week, giving himself an out, “it’s in our nature to explore anything and everything.”

They are always lurking, both in free agency and at the deadline.

They got Tucker and Dîaz using their financial capital. They got Skubal with their prospect capital. And now, assuming they get healthy, they can bump all of their depth arms into the bullpen in October.

Good luck stopping them.

3. What’s Next For The Tigers?

(Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

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Hope and Ryan may soon be big-league ready, but the former is at Double-A, and the latter is on the injured list for the second time this year with a hamstring injury after missing all of last season due to Tommy John recovery. This was a move for 2027 and beyond.

So what does that mean for 2026?

The Tigers are only 2.5 games out of a wild-card spot, but they also have more rentals who could bring back a meaningful return in Casey Mize and Gleyber Torres. Will Detroit deal them, too? Or see what happens with a rotation that still includes talented arms in Mize, Framber Valdez, Troy Melton, Keider Montero and, soon, Jackson Jobe?

It’ll be interesting to see who stays and who goes over the next two days in Detroit.

4. Dodger Disdain Grows

(Photo by Tony Macon/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Surely, MLB will use this deal as another example of the sport’s imbalance as labor discussions continue and a lockout looms.

Yes, the payroll disparity is an issue. And, yes, the Dodgers’ financials give them an obvious advantage.

But that’s not what this is about, despite the public outcry to come.

It was the Dodgers’ savvy and forethought that set this up. They got Ryan in exchange for Matt Beaty, their 2015 12th-round pick who hasn’t played in the big leagues since 2023. They got Hope for Michael Busch, their first-round pick in 2019, a big-league regular they helped develop.

In addition to spending, this is what they do.

They trade Gavin Lux for Mike Sirota before the 2025 season and Dustin May for James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard at last year’s deadline, acquiring pieces who now make up one of the deepest groups of outfield prospects ever assembled — a group that should make the loss of Hope minimal.

The remainder of Skubal’s pro-rated salary should have made him attainable to any contender that wanted him. But there won’t be a Brewers rotation featuring Skubal, Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison, or a Skubal-Chris Sale duo in Atlanta, or a Skubal-Drew Rasmussen-Shane McClanahan trio in Tampa Bay.

And those teams, despite the cries for change that are sure to get even louder, have only themselves — and their restraint — to blame.

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.

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The Basketball Tournament crowns its 2026 champion Sunday as La Familia (Kentucky Alumni) hosts Davis Steel in the $2 million winner-take-all title game on FOX and FOX One. Here’s what’s on and when.

TBT Championship Schedule for Sunday, Aug. 2

• 1 p.m. ET: Davis Steel vs. La Familia (Kentucky Alumni) (FOX, FOX One)

The championship will be played at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky.

How to Watch the TBT Championship

The game airs live on FOX, streaming on FOX One, FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App.

What’s on the Line

The winner takes home TBT’s entire $2 million prize, the tournament’s largest purse since 2019.

La Familia won the Alumni Bracket to earn the right to host the championship. Davis Steel advanced out of the Las Vegas Bracket, setting up a title-game matchup between a Kentucky alumni squad and one of the tournament’s non-alumni teams.

How La Familia Reached the Championship

La Familia opened the tournament by winning its best-of-three series against The Ville (Louisville Alumni), two games to one.

The Kentucky alumni then rallied past Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse Alumni), 70-66, in the Alumni Semifinals before beating JHX Hoops (Kansas Alumni), 78-65, to claim the Alumni Bracket championship.

How Davis Steel Reached the Championship

Davis Steel finished first in Group A during round-robin play, earning a bye into the Las Vegas Semifinals.

It defeated Red Rose War Ready, 83-67, before edging The Mecca, 71-69, in Thursday’s Las Vegas Championship to secure its spot in the $2 million title game.

What Is The Basketball Tournament?

TBT is an annual tournament built around former college basketball stars, many of them playing for alumni teams tied to their old schools. For 2026, the field shrank to 14 teams: eight alumni squads opening with best-of-three series and six non-alumni squads playing in two groups followed by knockout rounds in Las Vegas. The winners of the Alumni Bracket and Vegas Bracket meet in the championship for the winner-take-all prize.

TBT still uses the Elam Ending, in which the game clock shuts off in the fourth quarter and a target score is set by adding eight points to the leading team’s score. Whichever team reaches that score first wins.

What Is the Purse?

TBT’s purse is a winner-take-all $2 million prize, the largest since 2019.

Who Won The Basketball Tournament Last Year?

AfterShocks (Wichita State Alumni) beat Eberlein Drive in the 2025 championship to win the title.

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