Evan Mobley is coming off another productive season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The former USC star averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per contest while shooting 58.0% from the field and 37.3% from the three-point range in 50 games.

On Saturday evening, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mobley will sign a massive contract extension with the Cavs.

Via Wojnarowski: “Cleveland Cavaliers F/C Evan Mobley has agreed on a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie contract extension that could become worth as much as $269 million, Joe Smith and Thad Foucher of @wassbasketball tell ESPN.”

Mobley was the third pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and has played three seasons for the Cavs.

His career averages are 15.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per contest while shooting 54.4% from the field and 26.5% from the three-point range in 198 regular season games.

He has also appeared in 17 NBA playoff games.

Via Wojnarowski: “Mobley — the 3rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft — is one of four players with 300 blocks and 150 steals since he entered the league. Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Rudy Gobert are the others, per ESPN Stats and Information.”

As for the Cavs, they are coming off a season where they were the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 48-34 record.

They made the NBA playoffs for the second straight season but lost to Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics in the second round (in five games).

The Cavs have an extremely talented roster that is led by Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen (and Mobley).

Hey, Hoynsie: Why wasn’t Andres Gimenez shifted to shortstop in spring training to allow Brayan Rocchio to learn second base? — Bud, Arizona

Hey, Bud: I think Gimenez has stayed at second for the same reason Steven Kwan has stayed in left field instead of moving to center field. They dominate their position defensively.

The Guardians felt Rocchio could handle shortstop coming out of spring training. I’m sure he could play second as well, but there would have to be a learning curve. So why weaken your defense in the middle of the diamond, when you’re getting above-average defense at short and Gold/Platinum Glove defense at second?

Hey, Hoynsie: What is the average number of years for a first round pick to get to the big leagues? Can Travis Bazzana beat that timetable? — Marv, Phoenix.

Hey, Marv: A story in FanGraphs, written in 2015, calculated that it takes the first overall pick in the draft an average of 3.6 years to reach the big leagues.

A story in Baseball America, following the 2023 draft, calculated that 81.3% of the pitchers taken in the first round will record at least one strikeout in the big leagues. But only 14.3% will strike out 1,000 batters in their careers.

Regarding hitters, 81% of the hitters taken in the first round will get at least one big league hit. But only 22.5% will reach 1,000 hits.

The Guardians are starting Bazzana at High A (Class A Lake County). We’ll have to see where this takes us. But this is not an organization that pushes its prospects.

Hey, Hoynsie: Those Walmart-style All-Star uniforms for the American and National League were an embarrassment. Can’t they just go back to players wearing their individual team uniforms? — Tom Koch.

Hey, Tom: I didn’t mind the NL uniforms, but the AL unis looked washed out and see through. I think they can do better.

Hey, Hoynsie: Every time I see Jose Ramirez being interviewed on TV or read about him, he uses an interpreter. Does Jose speak English? Is he just not comfortable being interviewed on camera or in English? — Ed Wittenberg, Cleveland Heights.

Hey, Ed: Ramirez speaks English. He uses an interpreter so nothing is lost in translation. But with his teammates in the clubhouse, his conversations flow between Spanish and English.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why do people say it would be hard for the Guardians to make a trade with the White Sox because they’re in the same division and it would cost more? I understand that if the White Sox traded a front-line player to Cleveland that they may have to face him for an extended period of time. But wouldn’t the Guardians run the same risk with the prospects they send the White Sox? — Matt Kasza.

Hey, Matt: I see your point, but prospects are prospects for a reason. Some make it, some of them don’t.

If the Guardians acquired Erick Fende or Luis Robert Jr. from Chicago, they are both signed through 2025. Robert has club options for 2026 and 2027. Let’s say Fende continues his career revival and signs an extension with Cleveland. Or Robert stays healthy, rediscovers his power stroke and the Guardians exercise his club options. Meanwhile, all the White Sox have to show for the deal is a handful of magic beans/prospects.

All executives make bad trades, but it’s worse when they’re reminded of them 13 times a year. That’s why it’s hard to make big trades within any division and that’s why the team selling assets always asks for more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Guardians return from the MLB All-Star Break on Friday night as they open a three-game series at home vs. the San Diego Padres. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. Eastern.

The game will be broadcast exclusively on Apple TV+, which offers a free trial. After the seven-day free trial, you can cancel or stay subscribed to Apple TV+ for $9.99 per month.

The Guardians-Padres matchup is one of two games airing on Apple TV+’s “Friday Night Baseball.” Fans can also watch the Detroit Tigers take on the Toronto Blue Jays, with first pitch just before 7:10 p.m.

The Guardians struggled heading into the All-Star Break, losing five of their last seven games. However, they still have the best record in the American League at 58-37.

Like the Guardians, the Padres were slumping into the break, having dropped six of their last seven. They are 50-49, putting them one game out of a National League wild card spot.

Here’s more details on how you can watch tonight’s game:

What: San Diego Padres (50-49) at Cleveland Guardians (58-37)

When: Friday, July 19, 2024

Time: 7:10 p.m. Eastern.

Where: Progressive Field | Cleveland, OH

Streaming Option: Apple TV+ (free trial)

Pitching matchup: RHP Matt Waldron (5-8, 3.71 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Bibee (7-4, 3.77 ERA)

Here is a further series preview, courtesy of cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes:

Where: Progressive Field, Friday through Sunday.

TV/radio: Apple TV+ will televise Friday’s game. Bally Sports Great Lakes will televise Saturday and Sunday’s games. WTAM, WMMS, WARF and the Guardians radio network will carry the series.

Pitching matchups, starting times: RHP Tanner Bibee (7-4, 3.77) vs. RHP Matt Waldron (5-8, 3.71) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; RHP Gavin Williams (0-1, 3.77) vs. RHP Dylan Cease (8-8, 3.99) Saturday at 7:10 p.m. and RHP Ben Lively (8-4, 3.50) vs. RHP Michael King (7-6, 3.41) Sunday at 1:40 p.m.

Series: The Padres won last year’s series, 2-1. Cleveland leads, 13-9, overall.

Padres (50-49): They come out of the break in second place in the NL West, but have lost six of their last seven games. All-Star Jurickson Profar, who made his big-league debut against Cleveland on Sept. 2, 2012, leads the Padres in batting average, home runs, RBI and hits. Manny Machado at .385 (5 for 13) with two homers, four RBI hit the Guards well last year.

Guardians (58-37): They come out of the break in first place in the AL Central, but have lost five of their last seven games. In those seven games, they were shut out three times and outscored, 30-18. David Fry at .600 (3 for 5) with one homer, three RBI and former Padre Josh Naylor at .385 (5 for 13) with two RBI hit San Diego well last year.