CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) is one of the AI Stocks on Wall Street’s Radar. On July 17, HSBC initiated the stock as “Reduce” with a $32 per share price target. The firm said it sees too many negative catalysts and that Coreweave could be in big trouble soon.
According to analyst Abhishek Shukla, Coreweave’s revenue comes from only a few customers that also use their own software. This has been diluting its “value proposition.”
“CoreWeave’s key customers, namely Microsoft, Open AI, and Nvidia, do not use CoreWeave’s software services, according to SemiAnalysis,” the analyst said. “We believe this diminishes the competitive advantage and customer lock-in CoreWeave gets from its unique offering. In 1Q25, 72% of CoreWeave’s revenue came from Microsoft. Microsoft and Open AI together account for the vast majority of the company’s backlog.”
Shukla pointed out that the stock is overvalued. Coreweave is also suffering from higher borrowing costs, low asset turnover, and anticipated high capital expenditure costs due to the short shelf life of graphic processing units.
“Assuming that GPUs will need to be replaced after 6-7 years of use, the result would be high capex simply to maintain steady-state revenue beyond 2030e,” the analyst said. “The continued high capex requirement well beyond the high-growth phase of the company is one of the key reasons behind our low [discounted cash flow] valuation of CoreWeave.”
The firm also warned that Coreweave’s liquidity looks “stretched.”
“Contrary to consensus for a steep decrease, we expect CRWV’ s blended average interest rate to remain elevated. As it diversifies into customers with lower credit ratings than Microsoft (impacts borrowing cost) and we believe Open AI has not extended a material cash advance despite committing to USD15bn-plus of offtake, CoreWeave’s liquidity looks stretched.”
CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) is a cloud platform provider that provides equipment for AI and other computing purposes.
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“I’m probably the only architect who created a final home,” Bob Hendrikx tells The Verge. Tombs and catacombs aside, Hendrikx might be the only one to make a final home using mushrooms.
Hendrikx is the founder and CEO of Loop Biotech, a company that makes caskets out of mycelium, the fibrous root structure of mushrooms. This June, the first burial in North America to use one of Loop Biotech’s caskets took place in Maine.
“He always said he wanted to be buried naked in the woods.”
The mushroom casket gives people one more option to leave the living with a gentler impact, part of a growing array of what are supposed to be more sustainable alternatives to traditional burials. Mycelium has also had a moment in recent years, with other eco-conscious designers making biodegradable packaging, leather, and bricks from the material.
Hendrikx started out trying to make a “living home” from mycelium, a material that can be used to make self-healing structures if the fibers continue to grow. While he was studying architecture at Delft University of Technology, he says someone asked him what would happen if their grandma happened to die in that home.
Bob Hendrikx and Marsya Ancker at a ceremony for her father in Maine.Photo courtesy of Loop Biotech
“It would be great, because there’s going to be so much positivity for Earth,” he recalls answering and then thinking — “Oh my God, this should be a casket.” The mushroom casket became his graduation project, and Hendrikx started Loop Biotech in the Netherlands in 2021.
The casket, which Loop Biotech calls a “Living Cocoon” and sells for around $4,000, is made entirely of mycelium and can be grown in seven days. It can then biodegrade completely in about 45 days, according to the company. The body inside, however, takes longer. In a typical casket, it could be decades before a body fully decomposes. But since fungi can help break down dead organic matter, that time shortens to two to three years in a Living Cocoon, Hendrikx says.
“I personally hate the idea of a body just lying there in the ground,” says Marsya Ancker, whose father, Mark Ancker, was laid to rest in a Living Cocoon in Maine in June. “I don’t want to lie in the ground, but I’m happy to become part of the soil and feed the plants.” She heard about Loop Biotech in a TED Talk years ago and decided to call up the company the day after she got the call that her dad had passed.
Mark Ancker lays on the Charlie’s Angels pinball machine, “of which he was the campus king” at his university, according to his daughter, Marsya Ancker.Photo courtesy of Marsya Ancker
“He would have gotten a kick out of it, out of the fact that he was the first [to be buried in a Living Cocoon],” Marsya adds. Her family’s not one to miss an opportunity. Marsya described an iconic photo of her dad sitting on a green Volkswagen bus on the way to Woodstock, looking out over a traffic jam with binoculars, soon after Marsya was born and came home from the hospital. “Don’t be ridiculous,” there’s no sense in wasting both their tickets, Marsya says her mom told her dad.
“He always said he wanted to be buried naked in the woods,” Marsya says. “As a younger person, that horrified me. I’m like, ‘But how will I remember you?’ … This way he gets to be buried naked in the woods.” And she’ll have something there to remember him by; the family planted a memorial garden with some of Mark’s favorite perennials on the land where he was buried. Loop Biotech says its mushroom casket will help enrich the soil below.
Marsya also finds the chemicals used in embalming “gross.” A desire to minimize waste and pollution is another reason some people are turning away from standard caskets or cremation.
Conventional burials in the US use around 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid, 20 million board feet of hardwood, and 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete each year, according to the Green Burial Council.
The first Living Cocoon burial in the US (which follows thousands more using Loop Biotech’s mushroom casket in Europe), shows “there’s excitement and energy around green burial,” says Sam Bar, who is part of the board of directors of the Green Burial Council.
A “green” burial doesn’t have to incorporate mushrooms, of course. The goal is primarily to encourage decomposition and use natural materials in a sustainable way, Bar says. That can also be accomplished using other materials that break down more easily, like woven sea grass or bamboo. “Green is a spectrum,” Bar says.
Ever the architect, Hendrikx has also kept comfortable design in mind with his Living Cocoon. Aside from the potential environmental benefits, the mushroom casket is also soft to the touch and rounded, he points out to The Verge. “So instead of having, like, a hard, pointy casket, you now have something that you can actually hug,” Hendrikx says. “Which is really nice for the grieving process.”
The second half of the season is sure to bring more excitement, with a battle at the top for best record between the Dodgers, Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs. A number of division races are also close, as the Cubs are up only a game on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, the Mets are just a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East and the Toronto Blue Jays, after a red-hot streak to end the first half, lead the New York Yankees by two games. And the wild-card races could go down to the wire, with six teams in the American League within five games of the final wild card and four in the National League within six games of the final spot.
How will all of these teams perform in the second half? Who will dominate in the homestretch? And what does your club have to play for?
We’ve broken down all 30 squads into six tiers based on playoff potential and asked ESPN MLB experts Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez, Jesse Rogers, David Schoenfield, Jorge Castillo, Eric Karabell and Tristan Cockcroft to provide a rundown of what the rest of the season looks like for each team. We’ve also included Doolittle’s final win-loss projections and calculated division title, playoff and championship odds for all 30 teams.
Rest-of-season projections are based on 10,000 Monte Carlo-style simulations of the remaining schedule using Doolittle’s power ratings for each team as the basis for the simulated outcomes. The power ratings are determined by season-to-date results and forecast-based estimates of roster strength.
Note: Teams are in order of best-to-worst playoff odds within their respective tiers.
How they got to the top: The Tigers exploded out of the gate on the strength of a launch-heavy offense and dynamic starting pitching. By the time Detroit cooled a bit, it had already built a double-digit lead in the AL Central. Emergent star power has fueled the Tigers’ well-balanced roster. Riley Greene (.284, 24 homers, 78 RBIs) has led the offense, while defending AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal (10-3, 2.23 ERA) is building a strong case to win the award again. The stars have been boosted by surprise/improved performances from Javier Baez, Spencer Torkelson, Gleyber Torres, Casey Mize and others up and down the roster.
What to expect from here: With the division race all but wrapped up, the Tigers’ second half will be about filling in roster gaps up to and including deadline day (July 31). The pitching staff needs more depth in both the rotation and the bullpen. The starting staff was thinned by Jackson Jobe’s injury and, increasingly, it’s unclear when veteran Alex Cobb might return. More pressing is the need in a bullpen that has been more solid than dominant. In a postseason setting, you want more of the latter than the former when it comes to championship-leverage high points. — Doolittle
How they got to the top: By getting their starting pitchers healthy. The Dodgers entered the All-Star break with the NL’s best record even though they received a combined eight starts from Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, two pitchers who were expected to front their rotation. But Glasnow has since returned from injury, Snell could join him before the end of the month, and Shohei Ohtaniis pitching again (and looks really good, albeit in small samples). The Dodgers were severely short-handed in their rotation throughout the first half and had to burn through their bullpen, a unit that leads the majors in innings pitched by a wide margin. They’ve been carried by a deep, high-profile offense and several back-end-of-the-roster pitchers who have taken on bigger roles. Snell and Glasnow being full-fledged members of their rotation, and Ohtani getting more stretched out, could elevate them to a different level.
What to expect from here: The Dodgers still have to bridge a gap at third base, with Max Muncy out at least through July with a knee injury that wasn’t as bad as initially feared. Muncy had been one of the sport’s most productive hitters since the middle of May. The absence of his left-handed bat has left a major void.
Freddie Freeman, meanwhile, is in the midst of a prolonged slump, and Mookie Betts has yet to really get going offensively. Freeman and Betts need to get on track. So does Michael Conforto, who slashed only .184/.298/.322 in the first half. The Dodgers are expected to target back-end relievers ahead of the trade deadline, but they could seek an upgrade in left field if Conforto doesn’t show signs of turning things around. — Gonzalez
How they got to the top: With a dynamic offense that simply never slumped for more than a game or two. The Cubs are one of two teams not to have been swept in a series of three games or more, and it’s not because of their pitching staff but because they have the ability to score in so many ways. They rank second in slugging and third in stolen bases, which means almost every position in the order can either hit the ball out of the park or steal a base — or, in the cases of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, do both. A top-ranked defense also has helped them secure first place in the NL Central, as has a revamped bullpen led by young closer Daniel Palencia.
What to expect from here: The Cubs should keep scoring enough in the second half to lead them to their first postseason appearance since 2020. The front office is likely to be very active before the trade deadline as well, looking to add a starter, a reliever and perhaps help at third base. The Cubs won’t be the favorites in a series against the Phillies or Dodgers but have proved to be as dangerous as anyone in the NL. — Rogers
How they got to the top: Getting to the top is standard in Houston. The Astros should make it nine consecutive seasons qualifying for the playoffs, perhaps reaching the ALCS for the fifth time in that span. However, looking closer at this year’s team in particular, this AL West run may be the most surprising, as Kyle Tucker is a Cub, second baseman Jose Altuve is a left fielder and Yordan Alvarez is sidelined. The DH has hit .210 in 29 games, succumbing to a hand injury since the first game of May. The confident Astros remain a top-five team because of their top-five ERA, led by right-hander Hunter Brown, left-hander Framber Valdez and arguably the league’s best bullpen. New leadoff option Jeremy Pena posting a top-five WAR has been critical, too.
What to expect from here: More winning. The Astros are used to this contending thing, even as some (many) of the names change. Twelve games remain versus the eager Mariners and hopeful Rangers, but it is hard to bet against the Astros winning the AL West for the fifth consecutive year. Reintegrating the excellent Alvarez, whose streak of earning MVP votes for three consecutive seasons figures to end this fall, is key to the lineup, which has lacked depth and pop with catcher Yainer Diaz and newcomer first baseman Christian Walker underachieving. The rotation needs stability after the stars, and perhaps right-handers Lance McCullers Jr., Spencer Arrighetti and Luis Garcia can provide it. Expect the Astros to play October baseball. — Karabell
How they got to the top: The Phillies’ starting staff has been magnificent, boasting the lowest ERA in the game. It begins with Zack Wheeler but it hardly ends there. Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez have been every bit as good, and while Jesus Luzardo has slowed down a little, he helped Philadelphia win early on while Suarez was out with an injury and Aaron Nola was struggling. Even Taijuan Walker has contributed after some struggles a year ago. Make no mistake, even with a star-laden lineup, the Phillies have been led by their rotation.
What to expect from here: Philadelphia isn’t playing for March-September glory. It’s all about October, which means staying healthy will be No.1 on the to-do list the rest of the way. But don’t expect president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to simply rely on his veteran group without augmenting the roster before the trade deadline. As good as the Phillies have been in the rotation, they’ve had bullpen issues, ranking 23rd in ERA. Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering have been solid, but newcomer Jordan Romano ‘s 1.50 WHIP is problematic. Expect an addition there but mostly expect the Phillies to play their best baseball down the stretch. This is an all-in year for them. — Rogers
How they got to the top: It’s been a tale of three chapters for the 2025 Mets. During the first, from Opening Day through June 12, they produced the best record in baseball behind the best pitching staff in baseball. The second, through the end of June, saw them post the worst record in the majors due to the same staff falling apart. In the third, a 12-day sample leading into the All-Star break, the Mets rebounded to go 7-5. New York cannot expect the pitching staff to rediscover its early magic. Injuries have depleted the rotation, placing the onus on a bullpen that was throwing on fumes. The break came at an opportune time.
What to expect from here: Teams like equating players coming off the injured list in July to trade deadline acquisitions. In the Mets’ case, they received two when Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea were both activated in the club’s final series before the break. The additions are significant. Senga and Manaea were the team’s projected top two starters entering spring training. They help offset the recent losses of Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn. The bullpen, however, remains an area to address before the July 31 deadline.
Offensively, Juan Soto’s elite production since the start of June — he was named the NL Player of the Month for June — after a sluggish two-month start to his Mets career has changed the lineup’s complexion. With Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, who has also been one of baseball’s hottest hitters since June 1, the top of the Mets’ lineup is one of the best in the majors. — Castillo
How they make the jump to the top tier: Yankees general manager Brian Cashman recently made it clear: He believes the roster could use upgrades in the starting rotation, bullpen and infield (specifically third base). So expect the Yankees to address those areas before the July 31 trade deadline, with pitching help taking priority after starter Clarke Schmidt was lost for the season to Tommy John surgery this month. Besides acquisitions, the Yankees need Aaron Judge to continue producing at an MVP level, the boppers around him to consistently contribute, and shortstop Anthony Volpe to reverse a slide that has seeped into his defense.
What to expect from here:Luis Gil‘s return to the rotation from a lat injury that has sidelined him all season — the Yankees are targeting late July or early August — will be welcomed, and prospect Cam Schlittler‘s recent major league debut was promising, but Cashman believes he needs another starter. His analysis of his roster means he’ll be busy in the next two weeks. To bolster the team, he’ll need to relinquish talent. The names moved could include top prospect Spencer Jones, a towering slugger who has torn up Triple-A since getting promoted last month. If the right players are acquired, the Yankees could capitalize on another MVP year from Judge, win the AL East for the third time in four seasons and return to the World Series. — Castillo
How they make the jump to the top tier: At this point, does anybody remember that the Brewers started the season 0-4 while getting outscored 47-15? It took a while for them to find their footing, but Milwaukee is right back where it has been for most of the past decade. This time, the Brewers are doing it with a surfeit of productive young talent. They lead the majors in WAR (per a FanGraphs/Baseball Reference consensus) from rookies. With so many young players on the rise, it’s not clear that the National League’s hottest team entering the break needs to do any more than stay the course.
What to expect from here: This might be the best version of the Brewers that we’ve seen during this current long run of success. The offense is athletic and better balanced than the homer/strikeout-heavy attacks of recent vintage. The team defense is top five in baseball. The rotation is dynamic and deep; if anyone goes down, the Brewers have Logan Henderson and Chad Patrick at Triple-A. Finding quality relievers is never a problem for Milwaukee. This team is for real, and the NL Central race is going to be a doozy. — Doolittle
How they make the jump to the top tier: Keep playing like they have since June 26. The Blue Jays went 12-4 heading into the All-Star break, including an impressive four-game sweep at home over the Yankees that vaulted Toronto into first place. The key has been an offense that averaged 5.6 runs in that stretch and lifted the Jays’ team average to .258, tied with the Astros and Rays for best in the majors. The Jays have been outhomered 126 to 101, so they will need to rely on hitting for average to produce runs — although if Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gets hot and George Springer and Addison Barger keep slugging, maybe they’ll hit for both average and power the rest of the way.
What to expect from here: The Blue Jays are 17-12 in one-run games and 7-3 in extra-inning games, so they’ve excelled in close games even though closer Jeff Hoffman has allowed nine home runs. Brendon Little, Braydon Fisher and Yariel Rodriguez have helped stabilize the rest of the bullpen, however, providing a big improvement over what was a major weak spot last season. It’s hard to completely buy into the Blue Jays since they are 14 games over .500 with just a plus-17 run differential, but that run differential is plus-51 since the beginning of May, and that feels more like a legitimate contender. At this point, they certainly feel like a playoff team, especially if that bullpen trio keeps performing well. — Schoenfield
What makes them a potential contender: Umm, presumably you are aware of what Cal Raleigh is doing? The catcher leads the majors with 38 home runs and 82 RBIs, putting him on pace for 64 home runs and 138 RBIs, which would break Judge’s AL record of 62 home runs and be the third-highest RBI total ever for a catcher. With Raleigh leading the way, the Mariners’ offense has surprisingly been pretty good — at least on the road, where they are tied with the Yankees for the highest OPS and have the highest batting average at .270.
But what the Mariners are hoping for are better results from the supposed strength of the team, the starting rotation. George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller have all spent time on the IL, and the Mariners rank just 13th in rotation ERA, after ranking first in 2024. If the rotation steps up in the second half, don’t be surprised if the Mariners run down the Astros in the AL West.
What to expect from here: The Mariners have to expect Raleigh to cool down. Julio Rodriguez went 6-for-12 and homered in three straight games right before the break when the Mariners swept the Tigers, so maybe he’ll finally get going after scuffling all season. They have a couple of lineup positions they could upgrade, especially third base, and maybe they’ll look to add another starting pitcher depending on Miller’s health outlook. With a loaded farm system, the Mariners are well equipped to make a big move at the trade deadline and go after their first division title since 2001. — Schoenfield
What makes them a potential contender: Usually a club trading its best hitter triggers a regression, but the Red Sox have been an outlier after sendingRafael Devers to San Francisco. That’s largely because their young stable of hitters, starting with Ceddanne Rafaela, has filled the void. The 24-year-old Rafaela’s emergence has been astonishing. He entered May 27 batting .220 with a .602 OPS. With Boston’s outfield surplus, his days as the starting center fielder were seemingly numbered. Since then, he has hit .329 with 12 home runs and a 1.017 OPS in 41 games.
Expecting Rafaela to continue the MVP-level production is probably unreasonable, but All-Star Alex Bregman‘s recent return after a seven-week absence plus Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer settling in as big leaguers should make Boston’s lineup dangerous even without Devers.
What to expect from here: Add the Red Sox to the list of contenders seeking pitching help before the deadline — both in the bullpen and rotation. Acquiring a starter and a reliever or two could vault the Red Sox to the top of the AL East and legitimate World Series contender status. If they don’t upgrade sufficiently, they’ll need the offense to continue propelling the club for a shot to play in October, likely as a wild-card team. — Castillo
What makes them a potential contender: Kevin Cash, two-time AL Manager of the Year (2020 and ’21), has again played a huge part. Time and again, he extracts unexpectedly great things from his players, from Home Run Derby runner-up Junior Caminero to team WAR leader and All-Star Jonathan Aranda to captivating comeback story Drew Rasmussen. From May 9 through June 28, the Rays’ .674 winning percentage was the best in baseball, moving them within a half-game of the AL East lead.
Rasmussen has played a big part in a durable, dependable rotation, as the Rays stunningly rank second in innings pitched from starters (540⅔), after having never ranked higher than 23rd in the category over the past seven seasons. They’re also second in quality starts (47) and WHIP (1.15) and eighth in ERA (3.71), and they’ll get a big reinforcement in Shane McClanahan in a couple of weeks.
What to expect from here: The Rays did all this despite adapting to an unfamiliar home environment, the much more hitter-friendly George M. Steinbrenner Field, but to compensate for them playing 53 of 97 games there during the first half, they’ll now play 37 of 65 on the road to close out the season. Don’t underestimate the home-field advantage that Tropicana Field has given the Rays, whose .635 home winning percentage in August/September since 2021 is third best in baseball. How Cash navigates his team through its five remaining road trips might ultimately determine the Rays’ fate, especially in light of the disappointing 2-8 trip they endured to conclude the first half. — Cockcroft
What makes them a potential contender: For all their injuries and underperformers, the Padres entered the All-Star break holding the third NL wild-card spot, and were 5½ games back of the Dodgers in the NL West. Jackson Merrill‘s production has dipped and he has made two trips to the IL, Opening Day starter Michael King has been sidelined since mid-May, and Dylan Cease‘s 4.88 ERA is a career worst. But the Padres at least win the games they’re supposed to, going 31-18 at home and 18-4 against the bottom five teams in baseball in terms of winning percentage. They also sport one of the league’s best and deepest bullpens.
What to expect from here: General manager A.J. Preller is one of the game’s most aggressive at his craft, and how he bolsters via trade an offense that ranks in the bottom eight in runs per game, wOBA and home runs will play a big part in the Padres’ postseason fate. Getting back a healthy King and getting Cease and recently activated Yu Darvish on track before the toughest and most critical intradivisional portion of their schedule in mid-August will also prove important. — Cockcroft
What makes them a potential contender: Their pitching. The Giants entered the All-Star break with the best bullpen ERA in the majors, with the back-end trio of Tyler Rogers, Randy Rodriguez and Camilo Doval being especially dominant. Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, meanwhile, had combined to post a 2.80 ERA in 40 starts, forming one of the best rotation duos in the sport. New Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey wanted to build teams that hung their hat on pitching and defense, a nod to the World Series champions he was part of but also a reaction to how difficult it is to hit at Oracle Park. He’s 1-for-2 so far. The 2025 Giants have graded out poorly on defense, but their pitching has kept them relevant.
What to expect from here: The Giants already made their big move ahead of the trade deadline, acquiring Rafael Devers and his massive contract from the Boston Red Sox. Devers, one of the game’s best hitters, was brought in to change the dynamic of a mediocre Giants offense, but that has yet to happen. The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger has slashed just .202/.330/.326 over his first 25 games with San Francisco. At some point, though, he will get going again. And when he does, perhaps the Giants’ offense — a strong one if Heliot Ramos, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee can also get right — will finally support the Giants’ pitching. — Gonzalez
What makes them a potential contender: The Cardinals don’t do anything spectacular but they also don’t have a glaring weakness. It’s been a steady ship since some early-season struggles that almost doomed them in the playoff race. On May 1 they were four games under .500, but by June 1 they were seven over. That steady climb has characterized their first half. Perhaps the best example of their plight is the fact that they had just one All-Star, infielder Brendan Donovan, who might have made it due to every team needing a representative as much as anything else. That’s not to take away from St. Louis. It’s a compliment to them on a good half without star-level performances. Sonny Gray has been good. So has Alec Burleson. But the Cardinals narrative this season is about team over individual.
What to expect from here: The next two weeks feelcritical for the Cardinals, but they might have already played their way into staying together and competing for a playoff berth. Besides, the same guys that turned down trades in the winter because of their no-trade clauses are likely to do it again later this month. The players believe in their team. Now it’s up to management to do the same — especially in top decision-maker John Mozeliak’s final season.
The biggest question might involve closer and free agent-to-be Ryan Helsley. Sure, he’s not having the same season he did a year ago, but what if Mozeliak gets an offer he can’t refuse? It’s not impossible to do a little adding and subtracting at the deadline and still compete. St. Louis could use another starter, as Erick Fedde has struggled mightily. Meanwhile, righty Michael McGreevy should find his way back into the rotation as well. — Rogers
Biggest hurdle keeping them from contending: No offense, Rangers fans, but this is not the offensive output of a contending team. The 2023 World Series champions averaged 5.4 runs per game and mashed 233 home runs, each figure third in the sport. This season’s bunch is even more disappointing than last year’s, 24th in runs and barely at 100 home runs at the break. Holdovers Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung (demoted to the minors) have disappointed, and newcomers Joc Pederson and Jake Burger (demoted to the minors but back with the club) have really disappointed.
Beleaguered manager Bruce Bochy, with few options, has been alternating underwhelming offensive catchers Jonah Heim and Kyle Higashioka as his regular DH. The league’s best pitching (3.28 ERA) keeps the club in the mix, but Corey Seager not only must stay healthy, and he needs more help.
What to expect from here: It’s a small sample, but the Rangers boast the No. 5 wOBA in July (12 games), as Semien and Garcia look rejuvenated, and Wyatt Langford (.954 OPS in July) solidifies a run-producing spot. Burger and Jung should improve their numbers. The Rangers may not match their first-half pitching performance, but they figure to hit better than .229 in home games the final two months. Well, they better do that, or amazing RHP Jacob deGrom, making his most starts since the 2019 campaign, will be watching October baseball for the ninth season out of the past 10. — Karabell
Biggest hurdle keeping them from contending: The offense is averaging just 4.19 runs per game, a significant drop from last season’s 4.58 and way down from the 4.80 the Twins averaged in 2023 when they won the AL Central. It’s the lowest output for the Twins since 2013, and two of the major culprits are supposed to be two of their best players: Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis. Correa has been healthy, but is posting career lows in OBP, slugging and OPS. Lewis has once again battled injuries, but even when he has played, he has hit just .216/.281/.302 with two home runs in 42 games.
What to expect from here: Amazingly, the Twins had a 13-game winning streak in May and still entered the All-Star break with a losing record, which shows how poorly they played aside from that stretch. The Twins haven’t played well on the road, going 19-29, and 12 of their first 18 games coming out of the break will be on the road, including series against the Dodgers and Tigers. Those 18 games will tell us whether the Twins can get closer in the wild-card race. If they do find a way to reach the postseason, they could be a sleeper with one of the best bullpens in the majors, but right now it feels like they lack the consistency to get there. — Schoenfield
Biggest hurdle keeping them from contending: The Reds’ rotation has been excellent, even with ace Hunter Greene missing time. That group is also Cincinnati’s best hope for crawling back into the wild-card picture. But the Reds haven’t played well against teams in the top couple of tiers of the majors, and by quality of opponent, Cincinnati has arguably the toughest remaining schedule of any team in baseball. The Reds have played solid ball but need to be a lot better than that over the second half.
What to expect from here: Greene should return and, given the strength and depth of the rotation, the Reds aren’t likely to collapse. But an uneven offense that doesn’t have enough middle-of-the-order power isn’t likely to fuel a sustained run, either. The Reds are middling, in other words, which could have worked in some versions of the NL Central, but not the one that has emerged in 2025. — Doolittle
Biggest hurdle keeping them from contending: Injuries, injuries and more injuries. On the position player side, catcher Gabriel Moreno, infielder Ildemaro Vargas and first baseman/outfielder Pavin Smith have resided on the IL since mid-June. In the bullpen, standouts Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk underwent Tommy John surgery last month; veteran Shelby Miller landed on the IL with a strained forearm July 5 to interrupt a dominant season with a 1.98 ERA; sidearmer Ryan Thompson is out with a shoulder injury; and left-hander Jalen Beeks is on the IL with back inflammation. In the rotation, Corbin Burnes underwent Tommy John surgery last month after signing the largest contract in franchise history over the offseason.
Then there are the significant players who missed time earlier in the season. All-Stars Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll were sidelined for weeks. So were veteran starter Eduardo Rodriguez and reliever Kevin Ginkel. In short, it’s been a terribly unlucky season for a club that had World Series hopes.
What to expect from here: At this point, every contender is praying for the Diamondbacks’ downfall over the next two weeks. Arizona becoming an aggressive seller would dramatically change the trade market, infusing it with talent that would create bidding wars and produce huge hauls to brighten the organization’s future. At 47-50 and 5½ games from a postseason spot, it’ll take a heater in the 12 games before the deadline for the Diamondbacks to stand pat. That probably isn’t happening. — Castillo
Biggest hurdle keeping them from contending: The offense, and only the offense. The Royals are playoff caliber in every other phase of the game. The MLB median for runs in a game is four. Using that as a standard, let’s give a win to an offense that beats four in any given game, a tie if it matches that and a loss if it falls short. By that methodology, the Royals’ offense went 21-59-17 (.304) during the first half. Only the Rockies were worse, and just barely. Kansas City can win with average offense but there’s nothing we’ve seen from the Royals to suggest their attack can reach and stay at even that modest level.
What to expect from here: Everything teeters on the trade deadline. Can the Royals add at least one, and preferably two, impact bats, and do so without undermining the team defense that remains the club’s backbone? It’s a really tall order and the Royals don’t have the kind of minor league depth or payroll flexibility to fill it. It’s also not clear if this year’s team is worthy of that kind of aggression in the first place. Coming out of the break, the Royals have to go on a tear, or they’ll be looking ahead to 2026 and beyond. — Doolittle
Biggest hurdle keeping them from contending: Offense. The Guardians are 26th in the majors in runs per game, averaging just 3.72. They’re hitting just .222 overall and, unlike last season when they produced a lot of clutch hitting with runners on base, just .221 with men on. During a 10-game losing streak in late June and early July, they were shut out five times, which feels like an impossible feat even in the dead ball era (and we’re not in the dead ball era). It’s not a surprise to learn that the Guardians have the lowest hardest-hit percentage (balls hit at 95 mph or harder) in the majors.
What to expect from here: The Guardians did bounce back from that 10-game losing streak with six wins in their final seven games before the break. They get the Athletics, Orioles, Royals, Rockies and Twins coming out of the break — five consecutive series against teams currently with losing records — so if they dominate that stretch, they’ll be right back in the thick of the wild-card race.
Still, it’s hard to envision this light-hitting team reaching the postseason, especially since the bullpen hasn’t been as dominant as last season and the rotation is a mediocre 17th in ERA. Indeed, unless the Guardians come out of the break scorching hot, you have to wonder if the front office will make a reliever or two available at the trade deadline. — Schoenfield
Biggest hurdle keeping them from contending: Simply put, talent. The Angels went into the All-Star break only two games below .500 despite a minus-62 run differential, outperforming their Pythagorean record by five games. Depth of the 40-man roster is traditionally their biggest weakness, but it hasn’t really been tested. None of their starting pitchers have suffered injuries. Their overall roster has been relatively healthy. In many ways, they have had as good a fortune as one can reasonably hope for through the season’s first three-plus months.
They’ve also shown some promise. Their pitching has taken a big step forward, with Jose Soriano and Reid Detmers in particular showing flashes of success. And their lineup has shown some real potential, even though Mike Trout — with favorable underlying numbers — has yet to really get going.
What to expect from here: It’s been 10 years since the Angels were even relevant for the stretch run of a season. That’s the goal: to stay in it. And if they continue to do that over these next few weeks, it will be really hard to see owner Arte Moreno, the same man who did not trade Shohei Ohtani in the lead-up to his free agency, trigger anything resembling a teardown. The Angels have several intriguing pending free agents, namely Tyler Anderson, Kenley Jansen, Luis Rengifo and Yoan Moncada. They might add. They might add and subtract simultaneously, swapping expiring contracts for controllable players who can help in the immediate or close-to-immediate future. But they probably won’t punt on 2025 if they can help it. — Gonzalez
How they got here: Injuries, a key suspension and an 0-7 start have buried this team, which is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first season since 2017, Brian Snitker’s first full year as manager. Everyone knew it would take time for Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) and Spencer Strider (elbow) to recover, and they debuted well into the season. But the Braves hardly counted on losing their prime free agent signing in Jurickson Profar to an 80-game suspension, and most of the rest of the rotation as well, as Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder), Chris Sale (ribs) and breakout Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) may not return this September. That might depend on the state of the team, and currently things are not looking good.
What to expect from here: GM Alex Anthopoulos is no newcomer to the trade deadline scene, and if the club cannot get closer than its current 9.5 games away from an NL wild-card spot in two weeks, he may have no choice but to trade veterans. Who goes? Perhaps Marcell Ozuna, his slugging percentage down from .546 to .396, is first. Embattled closer Raisel Iglesias, with his bloated 4.42 ERA, would seem an obvious choice. Rejuvenated Sean Murphy is a possibility with rookie Drake Baldwin emerging. Even the sputtering Michael Harris II, last among 158 qualifiers with a .551 OPS, could use a new start. Regardless of who moves on, this is far from what Braves fans expected in March, but don’t be surprised if the franchise keeps enough talent to contend again in 2026. — Karabell
How they got here: The Orioles stumbled out of the gate, with a 12-18 record at the end of April, including losses of 24-2 and 15-3. Then the season really fell apart with a 3-16 stretch in May — against a relatively soft part of the schedule. Manager Brandon Hyde got the ax and fans rightly pounced on GM Mike Elias and new owner David Rubenstein for failing to address the rotation in the offseason with somebody other than 41-year-old Charlie Morton and 35-year-old Tomoyuki Sugano.
Still, if the offense had lived up to preseason expectations, the Orioles might be in the playoff race. Instead, the offense has declined from one of the best in the majors (4.85 runs per game) to below average (4.14 runs per game). They’ve lost nearly 50 points of OPS despite moving in the left-field fence at Camden Yards by varying distances of 9 to 20 feet. Yes, the rotation is the major culprit here, ranking next to last in ERA, but it’s been a teamwide collapse.
What to expect from here: With up to 12 potential free agents, the Orioles are likely to be the busiest team at the trade deadline. Some of the key players who could be traded include Ryan O’Hearn, Cedric Mullins, Ramon Laureano, Zach Eflin and even Morton, who has pitched better after a horrid start (2.76 ERA over his past eight starts). O’Hearn will have a lot of interest, but the other big name that teams may be asking about is closer Felix Bautista. He’s back from Tommy John surgery throwing gas, has a low salary ($1 million) and is under team control through 2027. That means the Orioles are likely to keep him, but given the list of contenders looking for late-game bullpen help, Bautista could bring back a big return. — Schoenfield
How they got here: Not much in South Florida has gone quite according to plan. Sandy Alcantara, the Marlins’ expected ace and premium midseason trade chip, ranks last among pitchers with minus-1.6 WAR. Xavier Edwards and Connor Norby haven’t progressed as smoothly as hoped. The rotation has struggled to consistently find options for the No. 4 and 5 slots, and the Marlins’ 5.02 first-half ERA was third worst in baseball. But, just as unexpected, the offense has shown a spark over the past month. Since June 9, only eight teams scored more runs, led by All-Star Kyle Stowers (.316/.404/.663 rates and nine home runs) and with solid production from Otto Lopez and rookie Agustin Ramirez.
What to expect from here: With the youngest roster in baseball, the Marlins will continue to feature their young stars. In addition to the names above, Eury Perez is quickly recapturing his pre-Tommy John surgery buzz as one of the game’s most promising starters. Alcantara’s trade value has plummeted, but he’ll still probably be moved for prospects, potentially along with Anthony Bender, Edward Cabrera or Jesus Sanchez. — Cockcroft
How they got here: It’s almost like adding little to an offense that had an 87 OPS+ (tied for 27th) in 2024 was a bad idea. This year, they’re at 79, in a three-way tie for last with the White Sox and Rockies. Consider that win-loss method using the median run total of four we cited in the Kansas City entry above, and reverse the standards to look at run prevention. The Pirates’ pitching and defense went 50-35-12 (.577) by that method, ranking 10th overall and sixth in the NL. That’s playoff-level run prevention. The sputtering offense renders that success irrelevant.
What to expect from here: Same old, same old for the Pirates. They’ll offload veterans at the deadline and play out the string, leaving their fans wondering what exactly, if anything, will ever change with this franchise. That assumes, of course, that rumblings about dangling Paul Skenes in a potential trade don’t resurface. If they do and, worse, such a trade comes to pass, the Pirates might not have any fans left. That aside, Bucs fans at least get Skenes every few days and get to watch Oneil Cruz run fast, throw hard and hit the ball far, all while hitting around .210. — Doolittle
How they got here: This dysfunctional franchise lost 93 games last season, its final ride in Oakland, so perhaps the word “here” has special meaning in this case, referring to the new, temporary (for three years?) home in West Sacramento. The Athletics — don’t call them Sacramento! — are second worst in MLB in run differential at minus-134, so they deserve their last-place designation, though things weren’t so bad early on. The Athletics were 20-16 a week into May before rough pitching spiraled them into losing 20 of 21 games. Not everything is bad. SS Jacob Wilson and 1B Nick Kurtz are among the leading contenders for AL Rookie of the Year honors, two-time All-Star OF Brent Rooker is on his way to a third consecutive 30-home run season, and RHP closer Mason Miller is back on track after a rough April. The future on the field looks relatively promising.
What to expect from here: RHP Luis Severino, signed to a multiyear contract in December, really does not enjoy pitching in Sacramento (6.68 ERA) and certainly has no issue telling everyone about it. His solid road numbers (3.04 ERA) should attract trade interest, perhaps back to one of his former New York-based clubs. It would be surprising if the Athletics parted with Miller. The Athletics are eminently watchable when they hit, though they remain below average in scoring runs. The pitching is the problem (5.20 ERA), and there is little help on the immediate horizon, so expect myriad high-scoring contests this summer, whether in Sacramento or elsewhere. — Karabell
How they got here: The Nationals’ first half was not entirely without positives, as James Wood (4.4) and MacKenzie Gore (3.6) have been top-10 performers in terms of WAR on their respective sides of the ball, but on the whole the Nats were plagued by poor process, pathetic ‘pen performance and puzzling news conferences. A 7-20 stretch between June 7 and July 6 culminated in the firings of general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, seven days ahead of the team possessing the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft. The team’s unexpected selection of Eli Willits was regarded as representative of the organization’s unclear direction.
What to expect from here: Continued focus on player development under Miguel Cairo, an interim manager for the second time in four seasons. The team can and should move impending free agents Kyle Finnegan, Michael Soroka and Amed Rosario, and it should aim to take another look at 2020 first-rounder Robert Hassell III, a .298/.404/.488 hitter since his mid-June demotion back to Triple-A Rochester. — Cockcroft
How they got here: If you like rookies making their MLB debuts, then the 2025 White Sox are for you. It’s brought energy to what was a funeral-like atmosphere just a season ago when the team lost a record 121 games. But with the energy of debuting 11 players comes some growing pains. That’s to be expected and hasn’t dampened the attitude inside the clubhouse.
Team success has been hard to find but individual moments still exist, beginning with Shane Smith, a Rule 5 pick this year, making the All-Star team. Then there is flamethrower Grant Taylor, who both opened a game and closed one in the same series against the Blue Jays. And their latest debut, shortstop Colson Montgomery, was banished to the team’s spring complex earlier this season only to find his way to the majors more recently. There are good storylines with the White Sox for the first time in a few years — just not many wins.
What to expect from here: Growth. And perhaps a few more wins as those rookies get more comfortable. The team will also be active later this month with newcomer Adrian Houser opening eyes around the league. The biggest question surrounds outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who hasn’t hit a lick this season. Will a team take a chance in trading for him? Will GM Chris Getz hold out for a decent prospect or just get Robert off the books — and off the team — as the White Sox’s makeover continues? — Rogers
Where it all went wrong: Everywhere. It goes all the way back to the beginning, with the circumstances of playing baseball at mile-high altitude, and encompasses the franchise’s entire history, which is marked by an insular approach that has sapped innovation for a team that desperately needs it. But let’s keep the focus on this year. The Rockies went into the All-Star break with a major-league-high 5.56 ERA, a 27th-ranked .668 OPS and minus-19 outs above average, third worst in the sport. In other words, they have been dreadful on the mound, in the batter’s box and on defense. It really is that simple.
What to expect from here: The question everyone seems to have about the Rockies is whether they will actually make drastic changes. The first hints will come before the end of the month, when we find out if they diverge from prior strategy and trade away key veteran players — most notably German Marquez and Ryan McMahon — ahead of the trade deadline. Perhaps at some point thereafter, we’ll find out if owner Dick Monfort finally opts for a new direction in baseball operations. Bill Schmidt is in his fourth year as general manager and, barring a miracle, will oversee his third consecutive 100-plus-loss season. He has been with the organization since 1999. — Gonzalez
The couple celebrated their wedding anniversary in 2023 by taking a family trip to Paris, with Prinsloo sharing sweet snaps from their time in the City of Light, including a visit to the Eiffel Tower and saying “oui!” to ice cream and baguettes with their children.
And they marked Levine’s 46th birthday in March with a rare break in the action between Maroon 5’s tour dates in Tokyo, Malaysia and Taiwan, their residency at Park MGM Las Vegas and their upcoming U.S. arena tour to support their forthcoming album Love Is Like.
No stranger to jet-setting, Prinsloo, 37, has made it a point not to let a stacked schedule affect her children’s world.
“I’ve been on a plane every other day and now I can just kind of sit back and watch my kids grow up,” she told E! News back in 2021. “I think as a mom, you kind of want to keep that balance of knowing who you are as an individual away from being a mom and away from your kids. And then also you want to be a great mom and be an example to them working.”
If you’re curious how she walks that particularly runway, check out the sweet as sugar glimpses she’s shared into their lives.
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At least 32 Palestinians seeking food have been killed by Israeli gunfire near two aid distribution points close to Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Dozens were also injured near the two sites run by the controversial US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), it said.
The GHF said there were no incidents “at or near” their sites, but that there had been “Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activity” hours before their sites were due to open.
One eyewitness told the Reuters news agency that the Israeli gunfire seemed “targeted to kill”.
The Palestinian ministry of health said a number of bodies were taken to nearby Nasser hospital on Saturday morning.
There are almost daily reports of Palestinians being killed while seeking aid since the GHF began operations in late May. Witnesses say most have been shot by Israeli forces.
The IDF told the BBC that in the latest incident, troops fired warning shots to prevent “suspects” approaching them, saying the incident happened before the aid sites opened.
Mohammed Al-Khalidi, speaking to Reuters, pointed the finger at the Israeli army for the attack.
He said he was part of a group of Palestinians who had been told the GHF aid distribution centre was open, but when they arrived tanks began moving towards them and opened fire.
“It wasn’t shots that were to scare us or to organize us, it was shots that were targeted to kill us, if they wanted to organize us they would have, but they meant to kill us.”
The GHF uses private security contractors to distribute aid from sites in Israeli military zones. Israel and the US say the system is necessary to stop Hamas from stealing aid. The UN refuses to co-operate with it, describing it as unethical and saying no evidence has been offered of Hamas systematically diverting aid.
On 15 July, the UN human rights office said it had so far recorded 674 killings in the vicinity of the GHF’s four sites in southern and central Gaza over the past six weeks.
Another 201 killings had been recorded along routes of UN and other aid convoys, it added.
The GHF denies that there have been any deadly incidents in close proximity to its sites and accused the UN of using “false and misleading” figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry’s figures are widely seen as a reliable count of bodies seen by Gazan hospitals.
Israel does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, to send journalists into the territory.
The UN also said this week that the number of acutely malnourished children has doubled since Israel began restricting food entering the territory in March. Despite the creation of the GHF significant amounts of aid, including baby formula, is still being blocked at the border.
On Friday, the director of one field hospital said in a statement that they had an unprecedented influx of patients suffering from severe exhaustion, emaciation and acute malnutrition.
So far, 69 children have died from malnutrition during the increasing humanitarian crisis, according to the Hamas government media office.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump once again suggested a ceasefire deal was very near – but a Palestinian official told the BBC that talks remain blocked, with a latest troop withdrawal map proposed by Israel still unacceptable to Hamas.
Russia, in the face of President Trump’s recent sanctions threat, attacked Ukraine with over 300 drones overnight, hammering the port city of Odesa.
The attacks targeted about 10 regions in the war-torn nation late Friday, with Russia launching 344 drones, of which around 200 were Shahed drones and 45 missiles, according to Ukraine’s Air Force. Ukraine intercepted about 185 drones and 23 missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an online update Saturday morning that six people were injured, including a child in the strike on Odesa, a port city on the Black Sea. One person was killed in the attack.
In Sumy, a city located in the northeast, “critical” infrastructure was damaged in the overnight attack that left “several thousand” families without electricity.
“My condolences to their family and loved ones. Missiles and drones also struck Pavlohrad, damaging a residential building and vital infrastructure,” Zelensky wrote on social platform X. “All relevant services are now on the ground wherever needed, restoring affected areas and assisting people after the attack.”
Russia has been bombarding Ukraine in recent weeks with drone attacks, firing as many as 700 in a single night. On Wednesday, the Kremlin’s military launched another large-scale attack, with Ukraine able to shoot down nearly 200 drones.
The latest attack comes less than a week after Trump threatened to impose “severe” sanctions on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not end the military offensive against Ukraine within a certain timeframe.
“We’re very, very unhappy with [Russia], and we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in about 50 days,” Trump said on Monday during a meeting at the White House with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. “We are very unhappy — I am — with Russia.”
During Rutte’s visit to Washington, Trump also announced that more weapons would be supplied to Ukraine, but that the U.S. would not bear the brunt of the cost. As part of the deal, weapons would be sourced from various NATO allies in Europe.
Trump, who campaigned on ending the largest land conflict in Europe since World War II, has recently taken a tougher stance against Russia, criticizing its leader after the two spoke over the phone earlier this month. Following that conversation, he signaled Putin was not prepared to end the more than three-year-long war and conceded that they had made “no progress” on peace talks.
Image of Warren E_ Buffett by Photo Agency via Shutterstock
Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) (BRK.A) has long been celebrated for his clear and methodical approach to investing. In his 1977 shareholder letter, Buffett articulated the four key qualities he seeks in any business: “We want the business to be (1) one that we can understand, (2) with favorable long-term prospects, (3) operated by honest and competent people, and (4) available at a very attractive price.” This simple yet rigorous framework has become a touchstone for investors worldwide, and remains highly relevant in today’s dynamic markets.
Buffett’s insistence on understanding a business stems from his belief that clarity is essential for sound decision-making. He has often avoided industries or companies that are too complex or outside his circle of competence, preferring instead to focus on sectors where he can confidently assess risks and opportunities. This principle has helped Berkshire Hathaway avoid many speculative bubbles and costly missteps that have ensnared others.
The second criterion, favorable long-term prospects, reflects Buffett’s preference for businesses with durable competitive advantages — what he and his late, longtime business partner Charlie Munger called “economic moats.” These are companies with strong brands, loyal customers, and high barriers to entry, enabling them to generate consistent profits over time. By focusing on long-term sustainability rather than short-term gains, Buffett has built a portfolio that can weather market volatility and changing economic cycles.
Buffett’s third requirement — honest and competent management — shows his respect for integrity and skill in leadership. He has repeatedly credited the success of Berkshire Hathaway’s investments to the quality of the people running its subsidiaries. Buffett’s willingness to invest in companies where he is not directly involved in daily operations is rooted in his confidence in the character and capability of their management teams.
Finally, the demand for an attractive price is a hallmark of Buffett’s value investing philosophy. He seeks to buy shares when they are undervalued relative to their intrinsic worth, providing a margin of safety against unforeseen risks. This discipline has allowed Berkshire Hathaway to achieve strong returns over decades, even as market conditions shift.
This philosophy has helped Buffett acquire an unreal number of businesses over the years. Berkshire Hathaway has completed over 72 major acquisitions and several more minor acquisitions over the years. With Buffett at the helm, Berkshire has expended over $173 billion in capital acquiring these businesses, ultimately creating over a trillion dollars in value for shareholders. While not all of Buffett’s acquisitions have been successful, very few other investors even come close to his track record.
While few investors will ever acquire a business outright, many will invest in businesses via the stock market, and can use this methodology when looking to acquire companies in their equity portfolios. Buffett’s 1977 letter and its guiding principles continue to influence investors, fund managers, and corporate leaders. As markets evolve with new technologies and global challenges, his focus on simplicity, quality, and value remains a steady compass. The enduring relevance of these criteria is evident in the continued success of Berkshire Hathaway and the widespread adoption of Buffett’s methods by investors seeking long-term, sustainable growth.
In an era where complexity and speculation often dominate investing headlines, Buffett’s timeless approach serves as a reminder that the fundamentals—integrity, prospects, and price—are as important now as they were nearly half a century ago.
On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
I’ve been using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a week, and I’ve run out of ways to say “It’s so nice.” It’s not essential, or life-changing; it’s nice.
It’s an understatement, though. Samsung joins the likes of Honor and Oppo in making a folding phone that’s almost as thin as a regular phone, and it’s a trend with real benefits. Compared to the previous six generations of Samsung folding phones, the Z Fold 7’s inner screen feels like a bonus — one that doesn’t require the sacrifice of carrying a bigger, bulkier device to get. It is thin. It is luxurious. Also: it is two thousand dollars.
It’s so nice. It’s two thousand dollars. Somewhere in between those two statements, you’ll know whether the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is for you. If the size and bulk of previous foldables deterred you, then this is the phone you’ve been waiting for. Provided you have, you know, a couple grand lying around.
$2000
The Good
Ridiculously slim and light for a foldable
All-day battery with moderate use
Outer screen finally feels normal
The Bad
It’s $2,000
Durability still a concern
Camera bump makes it wobble on a table
Writing a review of the Fold 7 feels like writing a review of two devices: the one you use with the phone closed, and the one that’s available with the phone open. The former got a major upgrade this year: it uses a normal 21:9 aspect ratio. Previous versions of the outer screen were longer and skinnier than your average phone, and I never quite got used to typing on them. I sometimes forget I’m using a folding phone when the Z Fold 7 is closed.
It works just like a regular slab-style phone outside of some extreme use cases. And for a folding phone? That’s mission accomplished.
See? Normal.
Here’s the Z Fold 7’s dilemma: that outer screen is a 6.5-inch 1080p display that’s not as sharp or as pleasant to use in bright light as the outstanding screen on the far cheaper Galaxy S25 Ultra. That’s a point I kept revisiting as I used the Z Fold 7. As a total package there’s almost nothing like it, but plenty of its individual features fall short of the best slab-style phones.
Non-foldy phones offer better battery life, but the margin isn’t as wide as I feared. How much you use the inner screen will dramatically affect battery life; I got through a day of moderate use and occasional inner screen use with around 50 percent left. With more time on the inner screen and about an hour of hotspot use, the battery was down to around 30 percent by bedtime. Nobody’s buying a folding phone for its power efficiency, and I think these results are pretty good.
Once you get started, you’ll find all kinds of use cases for the inner screen.
As soon as I open the inner screen, the slight shortcomings are out of mind. I kept forgetting that the inner screen even existed, but I quickly got into the habit of opening it. Do you know how nice it is to use Chrome on your phone with normal-ass tabs at the top of the screen? Do you know how much less fiddly a game like Diablo Immortal is on a big screen? Do you know how useful it is to keep the Uber app open on one side of the display so you can keep track of your driver’s arrival while you finish a sudoku on the other half? I do. Once you start using the inner screen, you keep finding new ways to use it.
None of the above is new or exclusive to the Fold 7, but I can’t emphasize this enough: this all feels like you’re getting away with something, because the experience of using this phone while it’s closed feels normal. No more chunky brick in the side pocket of my yoga pants. One nitpick: I don’t love how stiff it feels when I’m opening the phone. The grip from a case would help here. Overall, a slimmer, lighter, well-proportioned foldable really is a whole new ballgame.
Good news: this phone is way thinner than the Z Fold 6 (top). Bad news: that camera bump.
There’s some bad news. I’m not one to get worked up about the way any camera bump looks, but this one protrudes a lot. The phone sits crooked on surfaces and wobbles when you tap the screen, which encourages you to put it on a table screen-side-down. Fewer distractions from notifications? Good! The screen is slippery and the phone slides off the edge of the bathtub? Bad! There wasn’t any water in the tub when that happened, but still.
The wobble is annoying; I have to prop it up on a couple of drink coasters if I’m using it on the dining room table. Samsung’s silicone grip case seems to mitigate it, but stand cases don’t fix it. A case feels like a requirement here (and I say that as a case hater!), but they’re thin enough they don’t erase all the benefits of a slim foldable.
Expect a lot of this unless you put a case on the phone or prop it up when it’s on a flat surface.
The Fold 7 uses a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset tuned for Samsung, along with 12GB of RAM in the 256GB model I tested. It keeps up just fine, and I had no problems running Diablo Immortal at the highest display settings. The phone didn’t even get very warm. The Z Fold 7 did get mighty toasty in a bit of a torture test: using it as a hotspot on a coffee shop patio on a high-80s afternoon. I put it in the direct sun, which you should not do, and sure enough, it started closing apps after about 10 minutes to try and cool itself down. Extreme, yes, but good to know if you live in a place with high temperatures.
Another environmental consideration: dust resistance. The Z Fold 7 still doesn’t have a formal dust resistance rating; its IP48 means it’s fully water-resistant but only immune to very small particles, not specks of dust. Take extra care and consider adding Samsung’s extended warranty plan to cover pricey inner screen repairs.
The Z Fold 7’s 200-megapixel camera is adapted from the S25 Ultra’s, and it’s a great camera here, just as it is in the Ultra. Low-light photos are detailed, provided your subject isn’t moving too much, and Samsung’s preference for vibrant reds and blues is on full display. There’s also a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and a 12-megapixel ultrawide — both solid performers if you don’t ask too much from them. Digital zoom past 5x from the telephoto lens looks pretty watercolor-y. But Samsung’s portrait mode with the 3x camera remains the best in the game, as it has been for years. Segmentation is so good it’s uncanny — isolating a subject down to the eyelashes on my son’s eyes.
If you compare the Z Fold 7 to a top-tier slab phone like the S25 Ultra spec by spec, the folding phone often comes up short. It’s less durable, battery life isn’t quite as good, and the camera system isn’t as versatile. But that misses the point of the Z Fold 7. This phone is a luxury and an engineering marvel. If you have the deep pockets and a mind open to the benefits of the big screen, then I think you’ll agree with me: it’s just so nice.
Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Agree to Continue: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.
To use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, you must agree to:
Samsung’s Terms and Conditions
Samsung’s Privacy Policy
Google’s Terms of Service (including Privacy Policy)
Google Play’s Terms of Service
Automatic installs (including from Google, Samsung, and your carrier)
There are many optional agreements. If you use a carrier-specific version, there will be more of them. Here are just a few:
Sending diagnostic data to Samsung
Samsung services, including auto blocker, customization service, continuity service, nearby device scanning, personal data intelligence, and smart suggestions
Google Drive backup, location services, Wi-Fi scanning, diagnostic data
Bixby privacy policy (required to use Bixby), plus optional for Bixby options like personalized content, data access, and audio recording review
There may be more. For example, Samsung’s Weather app also has its own privacy policy that may include sharing information with Weather.com.
Final tally: there are five mandatory agreements and at least 10 optional ones.
A professional bettor placed 30 wagers in 46 minutes, all involving Terry Rozier in a 2023 NBA game, according to documents obtained by ESPN that reveal new details about the suspicious betting under scrutiny by federal investigators.
On the morning of March 23, 2023, a bettor at a sportsbook in Biloxi, Mississippi, placed $13,759 in bets on the unders on Rozier’s statistics in a game that night between the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans, according to the documents, which ESPN acquired through an open records request. All 30 bets won, after Rozier, an eight-year veteran with the Hornets at the time, exited 10 minutes into the game, citing a foot issue.
In all, at least six sportsbooks in multiple states detected suspicious betting on Rozier props that day, with the bulk of the activity occurring in Louisiana and Mississippi, according to sources familiar with a report issued by U.S. Integrity, a firm that monitors the betting market for abnormalities.
The NBA investigated the unusual activity in 2023 and found that no league rules were violated. Two years later, Rozier is one of three NBA players known to have been under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Rozier has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing.
The bettor in Biloxi placed the bets at Harrah’s Gulf Coast on the under on Rozier’s points, rebounds and assists, according to a list of wagers included in the documents. The largest bet, a $2,700 wager on under 5.5 rebounds for Rozier, was made over the counter, using a casino player’s card. The other 29 bets were placed on a self-serve betting kiosk, a few hundred dollars at a time, beginning at 9:37 a.m., before the sportsbook counter was open, according to the records.
Attempts to reach the bettor were unsuccessful.
Harrah’s Gulf Coast (Caesars) initially refused to pay the winning tickets, citing a house rule on “rigging” and suspicion of “inside information,” according to emails from the sportsbook to regulators obtained by ESPN. The casino asked the Mississippi Gaming Commission for permission to void the bets entirely.
“Has Caesars been able to come up with any evidence to support this being insider information?” a Mississippi Gaming Commission enforcement team leader asked the sportsbook in an email on April 5. “If not, the property which I believe is Harrah’s Gulf Coast/Caesars will need to pay out the wagers.”
A week later, on April 12, a Caesars representative informed the commission in an email that it was settling the wagers on Rozier. The bettor won a net $13,017.70.
Rozier, who was not listed on the Hornets’ pregame injury report, finished the game with 5 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, all under the betting line on his statistics. He did not play the remainder of the season and was traded to the Miami Heat in January 2024.
Sources told ESPN that multiple sportsbooks in New Orleans also received heavier-than-expected action on the under on Rozier props, starting in the morning and lasting until midafternoon. At 2:24 p.m. the day of the game, U.S. Integrity sent a nationwide alert about “Suspicious Wagering Terry Rozier NBA Player Props,” according to documents ESPN obtained through another open records request.
Most prominent sportsbooks halted betting on Rozier props within an hour of the U.S. Integrity alert, according to an archived odds feed from betting analytics site Unabated.com.
League rules prohibit players from betting on the NBA or sharing non-public information with anyone “associated with gambling.” The NBA declined to comment.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, said while the federal inquiry remains ongoing, his client is not a target of the investigation. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said in an email that they could not confirm or deny Rozier’s status in the investigation and declined further comment.
Trusty said Rozier met with NBA and FBI officials multiple times in 2023 and that the initial investigation determined that he had done nothing wrong.
“It’s unfortunate that he’s a big name in sports and is having to endure all this,” Trusty told ESPN. “My hope and expectation is that at some point that they’ll be done with their investigation and will be professional enough to let us know that it’s 100% over and that they reached the same conclusion that was reached in 2023.”
Rozier is part of the same federal gambling investigation that led to former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter being banned from the NBA. In July 2024, Porter pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and admitted to removing himself from two games during the 2023-24 NBA season to help bettors win wagers on the under on his props.
Some of the same betting accounts that wagered on Porter also bet on Rozier props in the Hornets-Pelicans game, in addition to multiple college basketball games that were flagged for suspicious wagering activity over the past two seasons, gambling industry sources told ESPN.
Trusty said Rozier does not have a connection to any of the people implicated in the Porter case.
In June, ESPN reported that NBA veteran Malik Beasley is under investigation in a federal gambling inquiry out of the Eastern District of New York. Beasley has not been charged with any crime or accused of any wrongdoing.
A spokesperson for Caesars did not respond to a request for comment. The Mississippi Gaming Commission declined to comment.
