Earl, Roebuck and Freeman also score tries for hosts
No surprises here, not even a hint of one. England have had tougher training sessions in preparation for this Six Nations and by the end the scoreboard spoke for itself. Wales were not so much beaten as buried beneath an avalanche of seven white tries including a first-half hat-trick for the pacy Bath wing Henry Arundell on his first England start since the 2023 World Cup.
If not quite as big a rout as England’s 68-14 win in Cardiff 11 months ago, the flashing red warning lights were visible from the moment the visitors had two players sent to the sin bin in the first quarter. They never looked like recovering and, in its own way, this disappointment will sting as much as the 73-0 defeat by South Africa in November.
Gore was 34 and, according to a social media post from his wife Britney, died following complications during a routine surgery. Gore is survived by his wife and three children
A revered teammate and dynamic personality, Gore’s tremendous speed kept him in the major leagues for parts of eight seasons and produced one of the most remarkable feats to which a player could lay claim: He was a 2015 World Series champion with the Royals in his second season in the bigs, but had not yet recorded his first major league hit.
We are heartbroken from the loss of Terrance Gore, and send our love to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/qgZFkHRFSx
In fact, it wasn’t until his fifth major league season – 2018 with the Chicago Cubs – that he got his first hit, a single up the middle off future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer.
Yet his legs held immense value.
Gore was clocked at 4.29 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and the lower-revenue Royals, always seeking an edge, deployed him as a designated runner during their two-year run as American League champions that culminated in their 2015 title.
He was nearly impossible to catch: Gore was 17-for-17 in stolen bases to begin his career (though he was caught once in the postseason), finally getting nabbed by Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez in 2016.
By then, though, he was a cult hero in Kansas City, on a Royals team that in a powerball era somehow conjured up memories of its 1980s speed and defense dynasty. Led by All-Star Lorenzo Cain and buttressed by Jarrod Dyson and Gore, Kansas City found a way to topple bigger-market clubs and win its first championship in 30 years.
It was Dyson who famously coined the phrase “That’s what speed do,” yet even Dyson could not keep up with Gore, who stole a base and scored a walk-off run in his major league debut.
"I wouldn’t say I’m cocky," he told the Kansas City Star in 2014, "but I know I’m really fast.
"And it’s going to take a perfect throw."
Gore grew into a more fully-formed player in his second tour with the Royals, batting .275 with 14 hits in 58 at-bats in 2019, and swiping 13 bases in 18 attempts.
He’d latch on with the Dodgers, Braves and Mets in subsequent years, and got one more shot at postseason glory, appearing in the 2021 NLDS for Atlanta. Yet he showed how big his heart was once the Braves went on to win that World Series.
As the Braves celebrated closing out the Houston Astros in Game 6 of that Fall Classic, Gore made sure to pull out his phone and shoot a video call to pitcher Charlie Morton, who broke his foot in Game 1 and was home recuperating from surgery.
Terrance Gore = the ultimate teammate. The 3-time World Series champ video chatted Charlie Morton after the final out so he could celebrate with the @Braves.
Simply, he wanted Charlie to be part of the celebration. And somehow, wherever Gore went, a celebration – no matter how unlikely – of some sort was likely to follow.
Gore retired without a major league home run - or even a run batted in - yet managed to impact the game forever.
Oct 13, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) reacts after the seventh inning against the New York Mets in game four of the NLDS at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Looking back at the 2015 season, you can’t help but think of what was probably the greatest Cy Young battle in the modern era, as Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Jake Arrieta delivered a memorable three-way race, with the award going to the Cubs’ ace. Greinke and Kershaw were the heart and soul of that Dodgers pitching staff, with Greinke making a run at the scoreless innings record still held by Orel Hershiser and Kershaw putting up his only 300-strikeout campaign, the first one baseball had seen since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling both did it in 2002.
Across their tenure as a one-two punch at the top of the Dodgers’ rotation, Kershaw and Greinke had probably their worst supporting cast that year, with them combining to accumulate 16.1 of the 18.1 bWAR the Dodgers staff had as a whole. Those two and the Dodgers’ staff as a whole met their match in an exciting five-game NLDS against the young and exciting Mets, but in Game 4, Kershaw reminded everyone who was the best in the business.
The upside of having two so dominant arms, particularly in the NLDS, was that if you showed the willingness to pitch one of them on short rest, you could have the two covering four out of the five starts of the series — that’s exactly what the Dodgers did. Finding themselves with their backs against the wall, trailing the series 2-1 and on the road, the Dodgers sent out Kershaw to start Game 4 in Queens, hoping to stay alive to give Greinke the ball back home.
A notorious Met killer in his career, Kershaw had fond memories of his last visit to New York, previously throwing a complete-game shutout against the Mets in 2015—part of an incredible run of form that saw him throw four straight scoreless appearances of eight innings or more. On the flip side, he had just been outdueled by Jacob deGrom in game 1 of this series, putting the Dodgers in this position of a must-win game just to stay alive. Kershaw’s Game 1 line was solid, as the sole blemish on his record through six frames had been a solo shot to Daniel Murphy. After a walk to Curtis Granderson loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, his third walk of that frame, Pedro Báez replaced him only to give up a couple of runs in what turned out to be a 3-1 loss with deGrom dominating on the other side of it.
While the individual numbers and the subsequent loss were disappointing, Kershaw did pitch well that night, including securing 11 strikeouts, and with a little more efficiency, he’d be able to limit a Mets offense riding on the backs of a Daniel Murphy’s hot stretch that did go down in Mets history. More importantly, he faced Steven Matz in Game 4 and not deGrom, who alongside Kershaw became the first duo of starters to both strike out 11 or more batters in a postseason game.
If we can point to Báez, perhaps letting Kershaw down by allowing those two pivotal insurance runs to score in Game 1, for as dominant as Kershaw was on short rest in Game 4, the outlook might’ve been completely different if not for Justin Turner. The Dodgers’ starting third baseman not only got one of the biggest hits of the game in a 3-1 win, with a double that drove in two, but the final out came on a terrific defensive play from him. Wilmer Flores was up with one on and two out in the seventh, and grounded one to third base that was headed down the line if not for a terrific diving stop from Turner.
The storylines are written, and then the narrative gets put in to fit whatever happens. This opportunity for the Mets came about in large part because Kershaw mishandled what would’ve inevitably been a tough play to throw out Cespedes on a squibbler towards third. Had the Mets seized this chance, the idea that that play had rattled Kershaw would’ve been in everyone’s minds, true or otherwise, but it didn’t happen. Kershaw got Travis d’Arnaud and Lucas Duda before Turner helped him out with Flores, as we saw above.
Much like in Game 1, Murphy was the biggest problem for Kershaw, as the Mets’ second baseman, previously not known for his power output, was that October hitting like Chase Utley in the 2009 World Series. The Mets’ only run off Kershaw came on a Murphy solo blast in the fourth, turning on a high-heater that caught too much of the plate.
Murphy alone couldn’t beat Kershaw, who managed to keep Yoenis Cespedes and other dangerous Mets hitters quiet throughout the evening.
Already then, dealing with questions about his postseason performances, coming into that game having lost his last five postseason starts, four of them against the Cardinals, Kershaw completed seven magnificent frames on three days of rest, a little shy of 100 pitches. History doesn’t remember that performance too much because the Dodgers went on to lose Game 5 at home in a brutal fashion, but that doesn’t erase what was done—even back then, performances of that caliber on short rest had long stopped being a regular occurrence, further enhancing the magnitude of this accomplishment.
In fact, Kershaw’s ability and confidence to start on short rest played a role in the decision to have him start Game 1 over Zack Greinke, as the possibility of a short-rest start was acknowledged right from the get-go. One could argue that Kershaw would’ve started Game 1 regardless, as both he and Greinke put up massive seasons; that differentiator between the two certainly helped make the decision easier.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 09: Terrance Gore #11 of the Atlanta Braves looks on from the dugout during Game 2 of the NLDS between the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, October 9, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Terrance Gore, the fleet-footed outfielder and pinch-running specialist who appeared in the 2021 post-season with the Atlanta Braves, has passed away at age 34.
Gore, a native of Macon, Ga., passed away unexpectedly due to complications from a procedure, according to reports. He appeared in parts of eight MLB seasons from 2014 through 2022 – appearing in 112 games but stepped to the plate only 85 ties. He did steal 43 bases during his career, and became notorious for his inclusion on post-season rosters due to his base-running abilities.
He was a member of the Braves World Series-winning team in 2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2020 World Series championship squad, as well as the Kansas City Royals 2015 World Series championship team and the 2014 Royals team that reached the World Series.
He also appeared in the post-season with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets.
Gore stole five bases in the post-season across 11 games but took only two plate appearances, both with the Cubs in 2018.
He did not appear with the Braves in the 2021 regular season – spending most of the season at Triple-A Gwinnett – but pinch-ran in the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers, marking his only big-league appearance with the Braves.
Keep his family – including his wife and young children – in your thoughts.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 27: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with CJ Abrams #5 after hitting a home run during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Olivia Vega/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Washington Nationals are highly unlikely to make the playoffs in 2026. Paul Toboni knows that and so do Nationals fans. Even finishing above .500 feels like a pipe dream. However, that does not mean the Nats season is destined for failure. We are just going to have to look at things beyond the win/loss record. Here are some things that would make the Nats 2026 season a success.
Continued Growth of the Young Core of Position Players:
Despite the failure of the previous regime’s rebuild, the Nationals still have a group of promising young position players at the MLB level. The development of players like James Wood, Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews, Brady House and CJ Abrams will be crucial. If those players develop, this Nats season can be a success even if the team struggles to reach 75 games.
James Wood is the most important piece of this young core and his growth is paramount to the success of this team moving forward. In the first half, Wood looked like a potential MVP contender. He posted a .915 OPS with 24 homers. However, Wood really tailed off down the stretch due to out of control strikeout rates.
Wood has so much natural talent and he has the ceiling of a 40 home run, 20 stolen base guy. He is the only player on this team with top 10 player in baseball upside. Hopefully, this new staff can help him make adjustments and help him stay locked in for a full season.
🔦 Superstar Spotlight: James Wood ⭐️
The Capitol's Kaiju: 🏛️ 🦖
Age: 23 – 6' 7" | 234 lbs (The size of an NFL defensive end)
• 80-Grade raw power with "freakish" speed for his size. • Advanced barrel control and a coordinated "short" swing despite his long levers.
He is not the only young position player this staff will need to develop though. Dylan Crews and Brady House showed they have a long way to go with their MLB performances last year. The talent is still there for both, especially Crews. It is critical for the health of the rebuild that at least one of those guys takes a big step next year.
There is also new catcher Harry Ford. Toboni’s first big move as Nats POBO was to acquire him in exchange for Jose A. Ferrer. We know Ferrer has big upside and a lot of team control. That means the Nats are going to have to turn Ford into a quality starting catcher to make this trade a win.
Given his production and pedigree, Ford has a good chance of becoming that. However, this new coaching staff will need to help him, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If Ford becomes a starting catcher, this trade is an easy win for the Nats. Overall, the Nats have a lot of position players that could break out. For this season to be a success, a few of them need to take major steps in the right direction.
Find Breakout Stars on the Mound:
The Nationals pitching staff has very few name brands, especially after trading away MacKenzie Gore. Given the names on the roster, it would be tough to project the Nats pitching staff to be even average. I would expect some blowup outings this year. However, the season could still be a success if a few Nats arms really break out.
My breakout candidate on the staff is Cade Cavalli. He has tremendous stuff and finally has a full, healthy offseason. There are a lot of smart people that really like what Cavalli has to offer. His fastball is in the upper 90’s and he has a filthy curveball to go with it. Cavalli’s changeup also shows major promise as well.
New pitching coach Simon Mathews will have a lot to work with here. However, Cavalli is far from a finished product. He gets hit harder than a guy with his stuff should. That comes down to his command within the zone. Cavalli was throwing strikes, but too many pitches were in the middle of the plate.
Sequencing is one thing a lot of Nats pitchers could improve. Last season, Nats pitchers were throwing way too many fastballs. We saw what happened when Kyle Finnegan cut his fastball usage after his trade to the Tigers. I would expect the Nats fastball usage to come way down this season.
Too many Nats pitchers were throwing their average heaters far too often. This applies to the likes of Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker and relievers such as Jackson Rutledge. I think all of these pitchers will be leaning more on their secondary stuff this year.
Speaking of relievers, Paul Toboni is betting on internal improvement and his ability to find hidden gems. There is no clear closer right now, though my prediction would be that Clayton Beeter gets the 9th inning. Given his love for the waiver wire, I could really see Toboni churning through bullpen arms until he finds the right combination.
Clayton Beeter slams the door for his 1st career save 🔒🔥 13.2 straight scoreless, 20 Ks, just 2 hits allowed since joining the Nats. 96+ heat, filthy slider. The kid’s nasty. #NATITUDEpic.twitter.com/JtgcqKPGN7
Even when the Nats were good, Mike Rizzo struggled to build bullpens. I have more faith in Toboni to find the right mix in the ‘pen. The Red Sox had a really good bullpen last year despite not having many big names besides Aroldis Chapman.
Whether it is Paxton Schultz, or Jackson Rutledge, or Cole Henry, I expect a couple of these under the radar bullpen arms to surprise us. I have no idea which ones will though. The pitching will likely struggle this year, but hopefully the Nats can find a few hidden gems in the rubble.
Development on the Farm:
While the MLB team will have the most eyeballs, some of the most important Nationals developments of 2026 will be taking place on the farm. Paul Toboni’s stated mission is to build a scouting and player development monster. A lot of that process will be taking place in the minors.
Toboni has already improved the Nats farm system with his trades, but that is only the first step of his process. He has placed a huge emphasis on improving players and building organizational depth. We will get a chance to see that in action on the farm.
Right now, the Nats farm is considered to be in the middle of the pack by most. However, I believe the Nats will have a top 10, if not top 5 farm by the end of the year. While some of that will be due to future trades and the draft, the main improvement will come from internal development.
The Nationals farm system is good right now but has a chance to be special this time next year. Our guy @PaulCubbage23 examined what the Nats system could look like in a year https://t.co/chHn954Zyv
The Nats have so many breakout candidates on the farm right now. It feels like at least a couple of them have to explode this year. There is finally a proper infrastructure around these talented players and a real focus on their development.
There may not be a ton of winning at the MLB level, but I think we will see a lot of wins on the farm. Paul Toboni is building this thing from the ground up. That means we will see success at the minor league levels before the MLB. While minor league records do not mean a ton, do not be surprised if these Nats farm teams win more games. It would be a good sign of improved depth in the system.
A lot of the Nats talent is at the lower levels right now. The Fred Nats in particular should be a lot of fun to watch. Following these guys from Low-A to the big leagues is very exciting. Hopefully, the guys we see on the Fred Nats right now are playing playoff games for the Nationals in 5 years.
What Does Success Look Like:
For 2026, winning a lot of games is not what will make the Nats season a success. Sure, it would be awesome if this team shocked the world and made the playoffs, but that is unlikely. There are also other ways to measure success for this team.
I get that it is tiring to have to measure success through development rather than wins, but that is the reality of the situation. The Nats are not built to win now. Hopefully this team can win more games than last year, but even if they win 65-70 games, the season can be successful if the right players take the right steps and the farm system is in a healthy position. The hope is that these moral victories will turn into actual victories in the future.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 17: General view of the ballpark during a spring training game as the San Diego Padres face against the Milwaukee Brewers at Peoria Stadium on March 17, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. Players wore green hats to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The addition of Miguel Andujar by the San Diego Padres and their general manager A.J. Preller earlier this week would not qualify as a significant addition to the roster, but it was the first major league addition to the lineup since the Padres signed Sung-Mun Song in December. It showed that Preller’s comments from Padres FanFest about adding a bat or two and adding starting pitching was not just lip service. The question is what is the next move, and will it be the significant move the Friar Faithful have been waiting for throughout the offseason?
Recent reports said San Diego made a late run at free agent starter Framber Valdez before he signed with the Detroit Tigers. More recently, the Padres were in the mix for free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt before he decided to re-sign with the New York Yankees. The reports are promising to an extent, whether the efforts by Preller and the Padres were authentic is a fair question considering the reported financial constraints.
Gaslamp Ballasked readers earlier this week if they expected Preller to make a significant move prior to the start of Spring Training and the fanbase was split. The numbers might have been different if the question was, “Will Preller and the Padres make a significant move prior to Opening Day?”
San Diego added Dylan Cease in a trade with the Chicago White Sox in 2024 as the Padres were leaving to face the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the season in the Seoul Series in South Korea. Preller added last season’s ace, Nick Pivetta, after the start of Spring Training with a creative deal that kept the cost of the right-hander down in 2025 but jumps to $19 million in 2026. Considering the contracts of Cease with the Toronto Blue Jays (seven years, $210 million), Ranger Suarez with the Boston Red Sox (five years, $130 million) and Valdez with the Tigers (three years, $115 million), the cost for Pivetta seems like a bargain, especially if he can replicate what he did in 2025.
There are free agents available who would be positive additions for the Padres. Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito and Chris Bassitt are considered the top three pitchers available followed by future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. The position player free agent market is not as robust as Rhys Hoskins, Michael Conforto and Marcell Ozuna lead the group. If Preller were to sign two pitchers and a bat from these players that would be significant. One player from each of these groups would solidify the roster, but the cost to pull off either scenario could be too steep.
Preller could look to deal with a team like the Baltimore Orioles who have first baseman Ryan Mountcastle without a position after the team signed free agent first baseman Pete Alonso. The Boston Red Sox are in a similar position with first baseman Tristan Casas after Boston traded for St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras. The Red Sox also have a crowded outfield, and Preller has long been thought to covet Jarren Duran. Perhaps it is a trade with one of these teams or another that qualifies as the significant move to improve the Padres roster. The problem in this scenario is the San Diego farm system lacks depth and inventory and was recently ranked as the worst farm system in MLB.
Time is running out on Preller to make a “significant move” prior to Spring Training with pitchers and catchers set to report on Wednesday and the first full-squad workout set for Feb. 15. But at this point any move that improves the roster and gives the Padres a chance to make the postseason will be welcomed – no matter when it comes.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - NOVEMBER 01: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after an inning-ending double play during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game seven of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on November 01, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a right-handed hitting first baseman who turns 27 in March. And, yeah, we really don’t need a ‘better know’ for him.
He signed a 14-year contract extension back in April of last year, worth half a billion dollars.
Seven seasons into his MLB career, he has a 25.9 bWAR, a .288/.366/.495 batting line and 183 home runs.
Vlad is moving up the Blue Jays leader boards:
7th in bWAR: 25.9 (Lloyd Moseby is 26.0) 3.0 WAR next year would put him in the top five.
8th in Batting Average: .288.
9th in On Base: .366.
8th in Slugging: .495.
8th in OPS: .861.
14th in Games Played: 975
10 in Runs Scored: 571.
8th in Hits: 1077.
7th in Home Runs: 183.
9th in RBI: 591
7th in Walks: 430
The Jays’ position player leader in bWAR is Jose Bautista at 38.4, so Vlad needs 12.5 more to get there. I’d imagine he’ll get there before that contract is up. The top pitcher in bWAR is Dave Stieb, at 56.9, which will take Vlad a little longer to top.
And he’s 153 back of Carlos Delgado in home runs. He should pass that with several years left on his contract.
Vlad had a much better second half (.314/376/.515) than first half (.277/.384/434) in his 2025 season. And then he had an all-world playoff run, hitting .397/.494/.795 with 8 home runs (8 home runs in 18 games, that would be 72 home runs in 162 games). That’s really turning it on when we needed him. I’d love him to carry that over to this season.
Beyond that, I’m glad that the talk about moving him to third has ended. He’s the guy you move other players around for; you don’t move him for anyone else.
I don’t see him as a Gold Glove first baseman, but he does make some sensational plays. Like this one:
Last year, Steamer figure Guerrero to play 150 games, hit 33 home runs, with a .297/.375/529 line. He ended up playing 156 games, with 23 home runs, and a .292/.381/.467 line, so Steamer was a fair bit high on homers, but the rest was pretty close.
This year Steamer thinks he’ll play 143 games (I think I’d take the over), with 32 home runs, a .299/.385/.532 line and a 4.8 fWAR.
Final in Cluj was Raducanu’s first since 2021 US Open
Emma Raducanu missed the chance to win her first title since her US Open triumph in 2021 after losing in straight sets to home favourite Sorana Cirstea in the Transylvania Open final.
Head coach says defender apologised to he and his team
‘There is not any regret in making him captain’
Thomas Frank will not consider stripping Cristian Romero of the Tottenham captaincy despite the defender invoking a four-game ban after he was sent off in the 2–0 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday. It was Romero’s second red card in 10 matches following his two yellows in the 2-1 defeat at Liverpool on 20 December and the ban is his fourth this season.
Romero’s off-field conduct has also been a source of concern for the Spurs manager. Following last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City, Romero described the depth of Spurs’ squad as “disgraceful”. The outburst on social media called into question his status as captain after the Argentinian was critical of the club’s ownership following the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in early January. “They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies,” Romero posted on social media, but later deleted the reference to lies.
They say the Six Nations is all about momentum and Scotland, again, find themselves sliding rapidly downhill. Passion and effort are guaranteed from any Italy team but they were clinical here too and defended magnificently. They ruthlessly capitalised on Scotland’s often rank inaccuracy and a richly deserved win – their second in three years against Scotland – sets them up beautifully for the tournament.
The fly-half Paolo Garbisi played the appallingly wet conditions superbly to celebrate his 50th Test cap, testing the visitors’ defence with regular, spiralling contestable kicks and mostly striking the ball well off the tee. The centres Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex, also marking his 50th cap, were sensational again while the energy and skill of the wing Louis Lynagh significantly softened the blow of Ange Capuozzo’s injury absence. Collectively, in difficult conditions, Italy’s handling and ball movement were far superior to Scotland’s and arguably, for Gregor Townsend and his players, there is no excuse for that.
6 mins. The position is wasted by the visitors as the malfunctioning lineout show continues, the ball lost back to the Italian side. There’s some more traded possession via kicks as both sides try to find a groove in the damp conditions. Thus far all they are finding is a grumbling crowd at how poor it all is. But there’s a lineout coming for Italy in the Scottish half.
4 mins. Scotland have their first lineout and their attempted catch and drive is spilled by Matt Fagerson as he looked to set up the maul. However, Ref O’Keefe determines the reason for said spilling was an illegal early drive from Italy. Penalty Scotland and it’s sent to touch in the Azzuri 22.
The Buffalo Sabres will be a team to watch once the NHL's trade freeze ends. With the Sabres being right in the playoff race, there is an expectation that they will be looking to add to their roster. This is especially so when noting that the Sabres are aiming to avoid missing the playoffs for the 15th year in a row.
In his latest 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman wrote that he could see the Sabres acquiring a "beefier blueliner" ahead of the trade deadline.
With the Sabres' defensive depth in need of a boost, it is understandable that Friedman sees the Sabres adding to their blueline. Bringing in a big, hard-nosed defenseman would certainly be beneficial for a Sabres club that is looking to take that next step and become a true playoff team.
There are a good amount of defensemen with size who have been creating chatter as trade candidates, too. Among them are Logan Stanley (Winnipeg Jets), Connor Murphy (Chicago Blackhawks), Andrew Peeke (Boston Bruins), Braden Schneider (New York Rangers), Simon Benoit (Toronto Maple Leafs), and Zach Whitecloud (Calgary Flames).
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Sabres can land a big defenseman ahead of the deadline from here.
From left, Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) talks to bench coach George Lombard (26) and pitching coach Chris Fetter (41) during the eighth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.
Presumably, the Detroit Tigers 2026 roster is pretty well set at this point. It’s really hard to expect any more major moves after the addition of Framber Valdez, while that and Tarik Skubal’s victory in arbitration has likely maxxed out their payroll for the season.
Still, rosters always end up getting tweaked a little bit between now and Opening Day. It might take an injury, such as rumors of ongoing shoulder trouble with Reese Olson, to push the team to another major league signing, and even that probably isn’t enough after the Valdez addition. The Tigers are still pretty weak at the shortstop position, but there are no major league caliber shortstops available in free agency, and trading for one at this point is virtually impossible. In center field, there are plenty of questions about Parker Meadows, but for now Javier Báez, Matt Vierling, and eventually Max Clark are the likely internal solutions. Perhaps Trei Cruz or Wencell Pérez can help out there as well as required.
That doesn’t mean that building in a little more depth in out of the question, however.
There’s always some nagging detail we’d like to see addrsesed even on the small side of the scale. Is there a position or a role on the bench, or even at the Triple-A level that you’d like to see addressed with a minor signing or trade to help bulk up the depth chart and provide a little more competition in spring camp?
BCB reader Clark Addison sent me some more photos to sleuth, and said none were easy.
Well! I love a sleuthing challenge.
Today, we have a photo of actor Joe Mantegna, a big Cubs fan and creator of the play “Bleacher Bums.” He’s with Cubs manager Joe Maddon, which already dates it between 2015 and 2019.
The first clue is on the jersey Mantegna is wearing. The No. 18 likely means this was taken in 2018.
The next clue — and the most important one — is on the ribbon board you can see behind the two men.
Nick Pivetta is pitching against the Cubs. Only part of the Cubs pitcher’s name is visible, but it’s clearly Tyler Chatwood.
Pivetta was pitching for the Phillies in 2018. There was just one game he pitched against the Cubs in Wrigley Field that year, and indeed, the Cubs pitcher that day was Tyler Chatwood.
That game happened Thursday, June 7, 2018.
Anthony Rizzo homered to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the fourth. The Phillies tied it up off Chatwood in the top of the fifth, but in the bottom of the inning, the Cubs put three on the board. Tommy La Stella and Kris Bryant had RBI singles and Rizzo’s sac fly scored the third run of the inning.
The Phillies scored a pair off reliever Brian Duensing in the sixth, but Justin Wilson, Pedro Strop and Brandon Morrow shut them down the rest of the way and the Cubs won 4-3. They were 35-24 after this win and in second place in the NL Central, half a game behind the Brewers.
Fortunately, this game happened in a time when MLB was putting all games on YouTube after they went final, so here’s the entire game:
Obviously, Joe Mantegna was at Wrigley that day to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. There’s no video I’ve been able to find of this, but here’s a photo taken that day:
Lastly, if you look very closely at the fans in the bleachers in the photo at the top of this post, I’m in it. Back row, section of the bleachers closest to the foul pole.
