The Carolina Hurricanes have signed defenseman Juuso Valimaki to a one-year contract extension that will pay him $900,000.
The Finnish blueliner joined the organization in January, with the team acquiring him from the Utah Mammoth for future considerations.
Valimaki, 27, was a first-round selection in the 2017 NHL draft and has played in 271 career NHL games with Calgary, Arizona and Utah.
The 6-foot-2 blueliner played primarily for the Chicago Wolves this past year after returning from injury, posting seven goals and 23 points in 27 regular season games as well as five goals and 14 points in 21 playoff games.
Valimaki provides the team with solid defensive depth, one that has both NHL experience and some offensive touch.
Unbelievable signing! Never seen someone be so dedicated to a team that he joined in mid-January. He had an infection that was so bad it required surgery into his bone to clean up. Came back for a 2 month playoff battle while his wife & 2kids were in Finland & paid for team meals https://t.co/gsjmZHTqex
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Former Senators head coach D.J. Smith has found his next NHL opportunity, and it will be alongside one of hockey's most polarizing figures.
The Edmonton Oilers officially announced Tuesday that Mike Babcock is their new head coach and that Smith will be his associate coach. The hirings reunite the pair more than a decade after they first worked together with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For Senators fans, the hiring is notable, not only because he worked in Ottawa, but because he'll now be working alongside Babcock, who's been the talk of the league.
Whether it was Anaheim, Detroit, Toronto, or Columbus, there seemed to be no end to the negative stories about Babcock's past treatment of his players and coaching methods. When the news broke about Edmonton's interest, all the stories have been retold over the past couple of weeks.
His brief return to the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 ended before he ever coached a game amid controversy surrounding reports that he had asked players to show him photos from their personal phones.
As Smith rejoins Babcock, he does so with eyes wide open.
Their relationship dates back to 2015 when Babcock hired Smith as an assistant coach with the Leafs. At the time, Smith was one of the hottest young coaches in hockey after leading the Oshawa Generals to a Memorial Cup title.
Smith spent four seasons on Toronto's bench, helping oversee the early stages of the Maple Leafs' rebuild before being hired by Ottawa as head coach in 2019 to help guide their rebuild.
Although the Sens never made the playoffs under Smith, he was good with the media and a popular coach with the players, but probably could have dropped the hammer a little more often. When mistakes were made, sometimes glaring ones, player ice times and power play deployments were rarely affected.
Over four and a half seasons behind the Ottawa bench, Smith posted a record of 131-154-32 in 317 games, which ranks second in franchise history in coaching wins behind only Jacques Martin, the man who replaced him on an interim basis during the 2023-24 season.
After leaving Ottawa, and try and stay with me here, Smith quickly resurfaced with the Los Angeles Kings under Jim Hiller, who had worked with Smith under Babcock in Toronto. Initially hired as an assistant coach, Smith was elevated to interim head coach in March after the Kings fired Hiller. LA responded with an 11-6-6 record down the stretch under Smith's guidance, but it wasn't enough. The Kings hired Peter Laviolette as their new head coach, so Smith was out. Hiller then resurfaced as Toronto's new head coach.
Tracking the flow chart of the NHL coach recycling program can sometimes be exhausting.
For next season, Smith was able to lean on an old connection and thus, won himself an exciting new opportunity in Edmonton. Though based on the state of Babcock's reputation, it's fair to wonder if there was really that much competition for the job.
The Phillies (44-36) are up 2-1 on the series over the Nationals (41-40) and up 4 -2 on the year. Washington has outscored Philadelphia, 35-31 on the year, while the Phillies have outscored the Nationals, 20-17 this series.
Philadelphia is looking for the series win over Washington after back-to-back wins of 14-9 and 5-4. The Phillies lead the MLB in batting average (.308) and SLG (.571) over the past week (five games), plus ranks second in runs scored (41) and OPS (.916).
Washington has dropped three of the past four games and five of the previous seven. Over the last week, the Nationals pitching rotation has a 5.19 ERA (23rd), a .284 OBA (26th), and a 1.40 WHIP (22nd) over six games. As an offense, Washington has 12 homers in the last six games, ranking first in the MLB, and fifth in SLG (.473).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Phillies at Nationals
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 6:45 PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, DC
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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Odds for the Phillies at the Nationals
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (-174), Washington Nationals (+143)
The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber is hitting .252 with 72 hits, 29 home runs and 52 RBI over 286 at-bats
The Phillies’ Adolis Garcia is hitting .195 with 45 hits and 84 strikeouts over 231 at-bats
The Nationals’ James Wood is hitting .265 with 82 hits, 20 home runs, and 49 RBI over 310 at-bats
The Nationals’ Jacob Young is hitting .225 with 54 hits and 49 strikeouts over 240 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Nationals
Philadelphia is an MLB-worst 30-50 ATS
Washington is an MLB-best 50-31 ATS
Philadelphia is 41-34-5 to the Under, ranking fourth-best
Washington is 48-30-3 to the Over, ranking second-best
Philadelphia is 15-23 ATS on the road, ranking second-worst
Washington is 21-20 ATS at home
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Nationals and the Phillies
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Nationals and the Phillies:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Phillies on the Moneyline.
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NEW YORK — The Chicago Cubs have patched a hole in their depleted rotation by acquiring struggling left-hander David Peterson in a trade with the New York Mets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move hadn’t been announced.
The Cubs placed Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list, adding to their injury woes in their rotation. Brown has a neck strain, and Cabrera is sidelined with a left hamstring strain.
Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton and Justin Steele also are on the IL. Matthew Boyd is set to come off the injured list and start in Brown’s spot in the series finale against the Mets.
New York received minor league slugger infielder Cole Mathis in the trade. The 22-year-old Mathis, a second-round pick in the 2024 amateur draft, is batting .272 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 39 games over two stops this year.
The 30-year-old Peterson is 3-6 with a 6.09 ERA in eight starts and eight relief appearances this year. He is eligible for free agency after this season.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on June 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Death. Taxes. This current era of the Atlanta Braves having nearly nothing go right for them whenever they’re in California. Petco Park has especially turned into a house of horrors for the Braves, as Atlanta has now lost nine straight games on the road against the Padres (if you’re including the 2024 NL Wild Card series) and haven’t looked particular inspiring in most of them.
What makes the following recap so disappointing is the fact that the Braves were heading into this series buoyed by the success that they had against the NL Central-leading Brewers during their most recent series at home. Now granted, the Braves did drop the final game of that series in ugly fashion but at the same time, the Braves kind of made that a habit during their successful run earlier this season. A series win is a series win, especially against a top-tier team like Milwaukee.
Unfortunately, the momentum did not carry over from Cobb County to California and now, things are back to looking bleak after a brief weekend respite. Let’s go ahead and get into this series.
Michael King had been having a rough go of it on the mound for San Diego as he had come into this start having given up at least three runs in each of his past five starts. I’d have to imagine that his eyes lit up once he saw those navy blue “A” hats and the jerseys with the tomahawks across the chest because those seem to always inspire confidence in the San Diego hurler.
It felt a lot like 2024 on this particular night as Atlanta was unable to really get anything going against King as he tossed seven strong innings. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s pitching staff did a tremendous job of making San Diego’s lineup scuffle as well and we ended up having a predictable pitchers’ duel in Petco Park. Grant Holmes was once again unable to get deep into a start and while he did a great job of limiting San Diego’s damage, it was certainly annoying to see him give up a dinger to the currently-struggling Manny Machado
As such, since Atlanta’s offense was unable to make anything happen in response to the Machado homer, the Braves ended up having to deal with Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller, which meant that the Braves ended up losing by one run.
I’m not going to lie to you, the second inning of this game felt a LOT like 2025 when this team was seemingly allergic to success. That was when something truly rare for the Braves at Petco Park happened for them: A big inning. Atlanta put up four (yes, four!) runs in the second inning with Rowdy Tellez plating two RBI on a single, Michael Harris II smacking a double that brought in Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson welcoming Kyle Hart into the game (who inherited a bases-loaded mess from Griffin Canning) by walking the bases loaded. Atlanta was up 4-0 in the second inning! Life was good! I could taste colors! I could see sounds!
Then it was almost as if the Braves remembered the stadium and state that they were playing in and things went to pot almost immediately afterwards. In the immediate next frame, JR Ritchie proceeded to have a nightmare inning after getting the leadoff runner out. The next six runners all reached base safely as two consecutive walks turned into a horror inning for Ritchie. Once the smoke cleared, a four-run lead had quickly turned into a one-run deficit and frustration abounded in the visitors’ dugout.
Fortunately, Atlanta did respond after Ozzie Albies cashed in a Money Mike single by cracking a double to tie the game up and then Mauricio Dubón came up big yet again as he hit a dinger at Yuki Matsui’s expense to put Atlanta back in front.
However, this is California (and it’s Petco Park in particular) which means that the good times couldn’t possibly last for long. Carlos Carrasco ended up getting pressed into duty for two innings in this one and the second inning is when the other shoe finally dropped. Fernando Tatis Jr. came into this series with a grand total of two (2) homers across the entire season. He left this series with three, as his third homer of 2026 was hit off of Cookie Carrasco and it tied the game at six. The Braves ended up having to deal with Adrian Morejon and (two innings of) Mason Miller, which meant that the Braves ended up losing by one run in extras after Manny Machado (of course) walked it off.
The Braves did not have to deal with Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller since they were both down, but nonetheless, they were unable to make anything happen against David Morgan, Wandy Peralta and Jason Adam so the Braves ended up losing and getting swept in a three-game series for the first time all season. Joey Bart hit a home runs off of JP Sears in order to chase him from the game, so that was cool. Other than that, this was a fitting end to yet another horror show of a series in San Diego for the Braves.
Yep, there’s no sugarcoating this. This is some bad baseball being played by the Braves at the moment. Never mind the fact that Petco Park has suddenly turned into a nightmare factory for Atlanta, the Braves are in a serious funk right now and it’s honestly starting to get annoying. It’s one thing to go through a slump like this — it happens to all teams and if it didn’t, we’d regularly see the best teams win around 120 games and winning 100 wouldn’t really be anything special. With that being said, it’s starting to get really concerning!
The Braves just need a spark right now and while there are plenty of candidates on this team who are clearly capable of doing something to really get the rest of the team going, it’s hard to see who’s going to do it at the moment. It also doesn’t help that any time the offense makes something happen, the Braves end up in a situation like we saw on Tuesday when any good times are extremely short-lived and they’re back in the mud again. Whether it’s the inconsistent offense or the unreliable starting pitching, there’s a lot that needs to be fixed at the moment.
Whatever the case may be, things have got to get fixed and soon. Considering how far ahead the Braves were in the standings not all that long ago, it’s actually kind of wild that it’s very much possible that the Phillies may catch and possibly even surpass the Braves in the NL East race soon. Atlanta still has the upper hand but if this continues for much longer, the once-inconceivable could happen and Atlanta could have a fight on their hands with not even the All-Star break having passed yet. That’s how quickly things have changed in this division and if the Braves want to avoid the nightmare scenario, they will have to find their groove quickly.
Unfortunately, there’s still one more California series left in this road trip which means that things could very get worse before they get better. There was a time when a series against the team of San Francisco’s caliber would’ve had both the team and the fans licking their chops at what’s to come. Now, it just feels like there’s a sense of foreboding doom at the moment. Again, it’s just a moment but it sure would be nice to see the Braves break out of this slump as soon as possible. I genuinely thought that we might’ve seen Atlanta break out of it with that series win against the first-place Brewers but the California nightmare has ensured that this slump continues for at least another few games.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 2: TJ Rumfield #7 and Troy Johnston #20 of the Colorado Rockies in action against the Los Angeles Angels during a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 2, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 Colorado Rockies season has been bittersweet for me. I’m ecstatic that the team has been playing better and that the new front office has a clearer sense of direction, but I’m also saddened that my dad isn’t here to enjoy the climb.
I’ve missed being able to talk to him about the Rockies to lament losses, rejoice in the big wins, and theorize what the best course of action for the team is. My older brother and I will text each other about things happening during the game (usually venting frustrations about relievers giving up a lead), but there is still that missing piece for both of us. Even attending Rockies games since his passing has felt like there was an empty seat where he should have been with us, eating a hot dog and sipping a Coke.
June has turned into a particularly tough month as it marked a year since my dad passed away after his battle with cancer. June features my dad’s birthday, my parents’ wedding anniversary, and the anniversary of his passing, all within a week. Add in Father’s Day later in the month, and that’s a lot of emotional tolls to pay. I’ve thought about him a lot this month, and my mind has lingered on the idea of how much he would have loved the team’s new look this year, particularly in the player personnel.
My dad loved the Rockies and loved to cheer for the players. He’d have to rely on me to inform him about players initially, but would make his decision based on watching them play.
As I’ve watched the new faces of the 2026 Rockies, I couldn’t help but try to figure out some of the players that would likely be among his new favorites.
TJ Rumfield
There is no doubt Dad would absolutely enjoy watching TJ Rumfield. The rookie first baseman has been nothing short of amazing in his first year of big league action and has been a steadying presence at the Rockies’ most tumultuous position. His dedication to working hard and playing the game “the right way” is quite evident in his performance night after night. Dad always loved those players who spoke softly, worked hard at their craft, and let their play on the field do the talking. Rumfield so often reminds me of a mix of Todd Helton and DJ LeMahieu by his approach at the plate and the fact that I’m not sure I’ve heard him speak more than a single sentence at any given time. It’s hard not to admire the way Rumfield plays baseball and, hopefully, continues to have a fantastic season and career.
Troy Johnston
There is always a need for those fan favorite players that are mostly here for the vibes, with an added bonus of playing well. Troy Johnston checks those two boxes relatively easily. What makes Johnston such an easy player to root for is that he appears to be an infectiously joyful individual. In a world where so many star athletes approach the game like it’s a typical 9-5 because of their dedication to being the best, Johnston reminds us that it’s okay to have fun and be goofy. The defense may leave a lot to be desired, but his bat and clutch hits have been a joy to behold. I’ve also enjoyed those moments of levity where he hops into interviews to ask teammates why they are so handsome. Dad loved players like Johnston who become part of the heart and soul of a team, even for a short while.
Tomoyuki Sugano
There is always a love-hate relationship when it comes to a majority of Rockies pitchers. You rejoice when they are excellent, but curse them when they struggle. And yet, every once in a while, a pitcher comes along that you can’t help but root for every time out, no matter what, because of what he brings to the table. Tomoyuki Sugano is that type of pitcher. I can imagine that Dad would be skeptical of Sugano, like so many of us. Sure, he had a great career in Japan, but the home runs were an issue in 2025, and he’s old by baseball standards. It only took a couple of starts for Sugano to prove that he’s easily one of the most reliable and consistent starters for the Rockies this season. He is in the mold of the “old school” pitchers that pound the zone and locate very well, which my dad grew up following. When we would plan out our annual trip to Coors Field, a major part of it would be trying to figure out which starting pitcher we would see that day. Sugano is the pitcher Dad would be thrilled to see in person.
Moving forward
Through the rest of the 2025 season, the changes of the offseason, and the growth of 2026, I’ve longed for those days when I could recap what’s happening in the world of the Rockies with my dad. Having suffered through so many bad seasons, he deserved a year like 2026, where hope has begun to flourish, and that classic LoDo magic was re-conjured. He deserved to root for players like those listed above.
And yet, in a way, I can’t help but feel that this season is something of a gift from beyond for me. The team is full of players that he would adore, and he would cheer for each of them as much as he could. As I watch the players above alongside others not mentioned, I can feel like I’m still watching games with my dad, even if he isn’t here physically.
Baseball was the greatest source of bonding that I had with him, and I’m grateful that the 2026 Rockies and the new faces on the team have enabled me to enjoy that bond even more through one of the most difficult things I’ve ever experienced.
MINNEAPOLIS — Shohei Ohtani forcefully rebounded from a rough inning on the mound to earn yet another win for the major league -leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
The two-way superstar carried his struggling catcher Dalton Rushing along with him, showing there’s even more to his marvelous game than simply pitching and hitting.
Ohtani had eight strikeouts over six innings before yielding to the bullpen in the 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins, and he helped himself at the plate with an RBI single to spark a three-run third inning that put the Dodgers in front for the rest of the night.
But the bottom of the second at Target Field — where the Twins announced their first sellout of the season — was ugly.
Three hits off Ohtani loaded the bases with one out, before he and Rushing got crossed up on a pitch that escaped the catcher’s glove and zipped toward the backstop to let in a run. Two more scored on Ryan Kreidler’s single that gave the Twins a 3-1 lead.
Rushing, the 2022 second-round draft pick who temporarily has taken over as the primary catcher while three-time All-Star Will Smith is on the injured list with neck inflammation, was expecting an off-speed pitch. Ohtani threw a 101 mph fastball, wincing with slumped shoulders as he saw the run come across. Rushing was charged with a passed ball, making one of the three runs against Ohtani unearned.
“They were just out of sync early, and you could tell,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think both guys were frustrated and trying to get on the same page.”
Ohtani, through his interpreter after the game, offered his usual diplomatic assessment about his work with Rushing, who’s in his second major league season.
“The in-game flexibility, reading the swings, reading how the hitters are really taking their approach during the game — that’s how I see what adjustment needs to happen,” Ohtani said. “In that sense, I personally realized we just have to be better at being on the same page and communicating throughout the game.”
Rushing, for his part, particularly was upset with himself that Ohtani had to essentially take over the pitch calling process to get through the night.
“Good thing he’s as good as he is and he can take control of the game, but it’s pretty embarrassing,” said Rushing, who also went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and a foul pop out at the plate. “They’ve always got my back. Once again, it’s embarrassing that I need support like that. I’m a grown man, and it’s a pretty tough pill to swallow.”
Ohtani, who has pitched through lingering soreness in his left knee and a blister on his right middle finger, has logged quality starts of six or more innings with three or fewer earned runs in 11 of 13 turns. The four-time MVP award winner has also reached base safely in 23 straight road games, batting .381 with 24 RBIs over those contests.
Ohtani had an 0.74 ERA over his first 10 starts with Smith as his catcher. Since the injury, over three turns with Rushing behind the plate, Ohtani has a 4.34 ERA.
“Showing Rush my pitching style I’m capable of, that’s really another way of being able to communicate,” Ohtani said. “In an ideal world, where I want to be is both of us to pitch in and really be able to shine because we have very different talents.”
Rushing doesn’t have to be concerned about losing his role, Roberts said.
“It’s a work in progress. He wants to do really well and he expects a lot of himself, so when he’s not doing what he expects then he gets frustrated,” Roberts said. “I think the good thing is he still understands his priority is to serve the pitchers and be behind the plate, but the last few games he’s had a tough go of it.”
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins right-hander Mick Abel has been recommended for arthroscopic elbow surgery after a recent setback in his injury recovery.
After an assessment by orthopedic specialist Dr. Keith Meister, the Twins announced Abel will undergo the minor procedure more than two months after he first landed on the injured list. The timetable for Abel’s return won’t be determined until after the surgery.
The Twins had Abel lined up to rejoin the rotation after he made two smooth rehab starts for Triple-A St. Paul. But he reported soreness after his bullpen session and was shut down from throwing.
Abel was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies with minor league catcher Eduardo Tait the day before the trade deadline last season for closer Jhoan Duran.
The 24-year-old had a 3.98 ERA in four appearances this year, throwing 14 consecutive scoreless innings before he was sidelined by elbow inflammation following his start on April 14.
Minnesota’s starting pitching has been depleted by injuries. Left-hander Pablo López, an All-Star in 2023, is out for the season following elbow surgery. Right-hander Bailey Ober has been sidelined for the last three weeks with elbow inflammation and won’t return until after the All-Star break.
Left-hander Kendry Rojas after his most recent start in the latest round of pitching roster moves made by the Twins.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 24: Pittsburgh Pirates fans pose while holding a Topps cards for the 75th anniversary before the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on June 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Many years, the Seattle Mariners reaching the midway point of the season above .500 would be seen as a distinct success. Similarly, reaching Game #82 in first place by 2.5 games would be a state of abject glee. But the expectations are different in 2026, and the rubber match of Seattle’s series with the Pittsburgh Pirates will once again give Seattle a shot to win a series or drop to .500.
On the heels of Wednesday’s drubbing, the M’s will run out nearly the same lineup as a night ago against Pirates rookie RHP Bubba Chandler. Chandler entered 2026 as one of the sport’s top pitching prospects, albeit of a lesser caliber to Paul Skenes when he arrived on the scene a few years prior. Bryce Miller will oppose him, Seattle’s least-heralded hurler at times whose start to 2026 has been outright dominant.
Lineups
The lineup looks potent still, albeit with Cal Raleigh taking a DH day to let Mitch Garver work behind the dish. That puts Dominic Canzone on the bench for now.
Pittsburgh made a roster move before the game today, placing disciplined leadoff hitter INF Spencer Horowitz on the injured list with a hamstring strain and recalling INF Jack Brannigan in his place.
Game Information
First Pitch: 9:35 a.m. PDT
TV:Mariners.TV, with Aaron Goldsmith, Angie Mentink and sideline analyst Brad Adam
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Gary Hill Jr. and Shannon Drayer
Mar 1994; West Palm Bch, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Toronto Blue Jays infielder Carlos Delgado signs autographs during the 1994 spring training season at Municipal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images
Today marks the 54th birthday of Carlos Delgado.
Carlos Delgado was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The Blue Jays signed him as an amateur free agent in 1988 when he was just 16. He climbed through the minor league system as a catcher. He quickly became our top prospect; he hit 30 home runs in Dunedin in 1992 at 20 years old and 25 the following season at Double-A Knoxville.
Carlos was called up to Toronto at the end of the 1993 season, the team’s second World Series-winning year, but he only appeared in a few games. Nonetheless, the Jays awarded him a World Series ring. The following season, Carlos began the year with Toronto and played most of the early games in left field. He started strong, posting a 1.028 OPS on April 24th with 8 home runs, but then struggled and was sent back to the minors in early June, hitting .215/.352/.438 at the time. Manager Cito Gaston was known for his lack of patience with young players, and it’s possible Delgado could have benefited from more time to adjust. Notably, Bill James predicted he’d be an MVP candidate by 2000, and Carlos fulfilled that potential several times.
In 1995, the Jays brought Delgado up at the end of April, but Cito used him mainly as a pinch hitter, and he didn’t hit much in the 25 at-bats he was given that month (it was more important to keep Joe Carter’s .300 OBP in the lineup). The Jays sent Delgado back down. They brought him back up in September, where he played more, but still didn’t hit much.
Finally, in 1996, Carlos got to stay up with the Jays for the entire season. DHing most of the time, he hit .270/.353/.490 with 25 homers and 82 RBI. After the season, the Jays traded John Olerud to make room at first base for Carlos.
Carlos opened 1997 as the DH while Joe Carter played first base, but by late May, Delgado took over at first and kept the job for the next eight years. He had a great year, hitting .262/.350/.528 with 30 homers and 91 RBI.
In 1998, Carlos played first base full-time, and his numbers took another big jump. He hit .292/.385/.592 with 38 homers and 115 RBI. He received MVP votes and finished fifth in the league in slugging average.
Delgado followed with another terrific season in 1999, hitting .272/.377/.571 and setting career highs in home runs (44), RBI (134), runs (113), and walks (86). He won his first Silver Slugger award and finished 12th in MVP voting. Additionally, he tied George Bell’s single-season team record for RBI. Delgado likely would have set a new record if he hadn’t broken his tibia after fouling a ball off his leg and missing the final ten games.
In 2000, Carlos played in all 162 games and led the league with 57 doubles. He hit .344/.470/.664, had 41 homers, and set a new team record with 137 RBI. Carlos also took 123 walks and led the league, being hit by a pitch 15 times. He made the All-Star team for the first time, came in 4th in MVP voting, won the AL Hank Aaron Award (for best hitter), and was the Sporting News Player of the Year. He also got his second Silver Slugger award. Also, Carlos finished 4th in the league in batting average, 2nd in on-base average, 2nd in walks, 2nd in slugging, and first in total bases.
His .664 slugging average is the Jays’ single-season record, and his .344 BA and .470 OBP are the second-best in Jays’ history. He also had the Jays’ season-highs in total bases, doubles, walks, extra-base hits, and runs created. He was AL Player of the Week twice and had a 22-game hit streak. He was one of seven Jays to hit 20 homers and one of three with 30.
Delgado appeared in all 162 games again in 2001. Although his numbers declined from the previous year, he still produced a solid .279/.408/.540 line with 39 home runs, 102 RBI, and 111 walks—impressive for what was considered a down season. It marked his fourth straight season with over 35 home runs and 100 RBI. He also recorded the first stolen base of his MLB career.
His numbers fell more in 2002. He hit .277/.406/.549 with 33 homers, 108 RBI, and 102 walks. He finished 4th in the league in OBP, 8th in slugging, and 4th in walks. Carlos was the first Jay to hit 30 homers in 6 consecutive seasons and 100 RBI in 5. He missed a game on August 4th to snap a streak of 432 straight games played. Then he went on the DL for just the second time in his career in late August with a stiff back.
Carlos had a bounce-back season in 2003, hitting .302/.426/.593 with 42 home runs and a new career and franchise high in RBI with 145, which led the league. He made the All-Star team, got the Silver Slugger award, and came second in the MVP voting. He finished 2nd in slugging, on-base, home runs, and walks.
It was his seventh straight year with 30 home runs, sixth with 100 RBI, and fifth with 100 runs. Among other achievements, he had 97 RBI at the All-Star break and four home runs in a game on September 25th. In addition, he reached base 334 times, setting another team record.
The 2004 season was Delgado’s last with the Blue Jays. He missed about a month due to a strained rib cage and, for the first time since 1997, didn’t reach 100 RBI. Still, he finished with 32 home runs and a .269/.372/.545 batting line.
After the season, Carlos was a free agent, and the team decided not to sign him. JP wanted to cut the salary, and Carlos had made $19.7 million in 2004. He signed a four-year contract with the Florida Marlins. When the team missed the playoffs, Carlos got the blame. I find bad organizations, and often fans, will blame the team’s best player for the team’s shortcomings.
After one season with the Marlins, they cut payroll and traded Delgado to the Mets for Mike Jacobs, Yusmeiro Petit, and Grant Psomas. Carlos then played four seasons for the Mets, making the playoffs for the first time in 2006 and losing to the Cardinals in the NLCS in 2007.
Carlos retired with a .280/.383/.546 line and 473 home runs in 2035 games. He was one and out on the Hall of Fame ballot, only getting 3.8% of the votes in 2015. He deserved better. He may have lost some votes because he would stay in the dugout for the God Bless America, making a silent protest against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rob Neyers’ Big Book of Baseball Lineups lists him as the best Jays first baseman and the worst defensive first baseman in the Jays’ history. Considering John Mayberry played first for us, that’s saying something. He’s right; Delgado was never very good with the glove, but we never had a better hitter.
Carlos was awarded the Roberto Clemente Award in 2006 for ‘good play and strong work in the community.’ He does work for many charities in Puerto Rico.
He has had his moments of controversy. He protested the war in Iraq by not standing during ‘God Bless America’ (he was ahead of his time). He said,” I feel so sad for the families that lost relatives and loved ones in the war. But I think it’s the stupidest war ever.”
He is married and has two children, a son and a daughter.
It is also Mike Stanley’s birthday; he turns 63 today.
Stanley had a 15-year MLB career. He was an offence-first catcher, hitting .270/.370/.458 in 1467 MLB games, with 187 home runs. He was never a good defensive catcher, but when you can get a corner infielder’s type of bat from your catcher, you put up with the less-than-great defense.
Stanley signed with the Jays as a free agent before the 1998 season, hitting .240/.353/.472 with 22 home runs before being traded to the Red Sox at the trade deadline. The trade worked out well for the Red Sox, and they made the playoffs that year.
It didn’t do much for the Jays. We received Jay Yennaco and Peter Munro. Yennaco never made it out of the minors. Munro pitched in 40 games for the Jays, starting 5, and put up a 1-3 record and a 6.00 ERA.
Happy Birthday to both Carlos and Mike. I hope you both have a great one.
ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 14: Chandler Simpson #14 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 14, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK — The NHL took the first step toward expansion in Texas, agreeing to terms with billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family to explore the feasibility of putting a franchise in Houston or Austin.
Far enough from the Dallas Stars, who relocated from Minnesota in 1993, a new team would not interfere with their territorial rights. And the league has shown no fear of adding one team at a time, so No. 33 does not have to come with No. 34.
“Symmetry I don’t think should necessarily govern expansion,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “You expand if you think it makes sense and enhances what the league has.”
What is behind the NHL’s interest in Texas
Money is the obvious answer. Bettman said the total investment of the project would be some $3.5 billion, which would include expansion fees paid to established owners along with the cost of building a new arena.
The Houston Rockets’ arena downtown is publicly owned but controlled by team owner Tilman Fertitta’s Clutch City Sports and Entertainment group. The home of the American Hockey League’s Texas Stars, in the Austin suburb of Cedar Park, has a capacity of 8,000 that is a little over half the size of the NHL’s smallest current rink (Winnipeg).
“I would be surprised if the NHL would be OK with an expansion team that does not have a new arena,” said Brian Mills, an associate professor at the University of Texas who teaches courses on sports economics and strategy. “The revenue potential with the luxury boxes and the way that they set those up and the money that they like to extract from the local cities is way too large to pass up.”
They also are huge markets. Houston at nearly 2.4 million is the fourth-most-populated U.S. city; Austin at just over 1 million is in the top 12.
“Obviously it makes sense if you’re a sports league to have a franchise in the nation’s fifth-largest metro area and one that is growing rapidly,” said Holy Cross professor Victor Matheson, an expert in sports economics. “Houston obviously makes sense in general as a destination for any league.”
Austin is smaller but has doubled its population since the mid-1990s and has seen an infusion of people over the past five years. Only eight of the NHL’s existing markets are bigger.
“It’s becoming more and more of a tech city, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more hockey fans here than there used to be,” Mills said. “I would imagine there’s some market for the NHL here in Austin, particularly more than when it was a sleepy, small town capital of Texas 30 years ago.”
History of hockey in Houston and Austin
When hockey was picking up in popularity in the 1960s and ‘70s and the NHL went from six teams to 18, the rival World Hockey Association was founded and Houston got a franchise when the one in Dayton, Ohio, failed to get off the ground.
The Aeros’ inaugural season was in 1972-78, and they were best known for “Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe playing for them along with sons Mark and Marty. They won four Avco World Trophies as WHA champions before folding.
An AHL team using the same name existed in Houston from 1994-2013. The Texas Stars have played in Austin since ’09.
“There’s some interest of hockey,” University of Houston economics professor Steven G. Craig said. “Houston is full of immigrants from around the country and around the world. And Austin is sort of similar in the sense of a pretty heterogeneous population.”
Pros and cons of a Houston or Austin NHL franchise
Growing the sport in another so-called non-traditional spot is a big benefit. Smashing successes in places like Las Vegas and Tampa, Florida, show what hockey can do across the Sun Belt when strong ownership is involved.
“Southern cities have been doing pretty well now these days in the NHL: the Lightning and the Panthers,” Mills said of the two teams in Florida. “You’ve got some pretty good hockey teams after some pretty miserable failures with some earlier expansion to the South.”
Abandoning the second try in Atlanta (the Thrashers from 2000-11) was more a failure of ownership than the market. The same could be said in Arizona, where a revolving door of owners led to arena miscues and eventually the Coyotes being sold and moved to Salt Lake City in 2024 to become the Utah Mammoth.
A 33rd team also means 20-23 more NHL players and hopefuls in the minors. The changing landscape of hockey development at the junior and college levels has the potential to churn more talent through the pipeline in North America than ever before, along with players coming from Europe.
“You do have a pretty big pool of players,” Matheson said. “I’m not particularly worried about diluting the talent there because I think there’s a lot of skill.”
What’s next and where the 34th team may be
After this six-month exploratory phase is complete, recent history suggests a season-ticket drive would be one of the subsequent steps. Ticket drives validated interest that led to the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken.
The Board of Governors would need to approve moving forward in the process. No vote has yet been held, though the executive committee supported exploring Houston and Austin.
And while the NHL is comfortable with unbalanced Eastern and Western conferences, getting to 34 teams seems inevitable if it goes to 33. Bettman said the board was updated on situations in Atlanta and Arizona, and it would be no surprise if one of those places got another crack at it.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros pitches during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on May 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lance McCullers Jr., on the IL since May 19 with a right rotator cuff impingement, is scheduled to make his first rehab start tonight with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Constellation Field.
🚨 REHAB ALERT 🚨
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with the Space Cowboys tonight (6/25)! Subject to change without notice.
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) June 25, 2026
Josh Hendrickson is currently listed as the Space Cowboys starter tonight when the team hosts the El Paso Chihuahuas.
That, combined with the wording of the tweet from the Triple-A team, indicate McCullers will likely get a 1 inning appearance out of the bullpen.
McCullers showed promise in spring and had a terrific first start of the season, but it has been a struggle for the veteran ever since with fluctuating velocity levels and intermittent command.
McCullers currently sports a 2-3 record with a 6.86 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 8 starts in 39.1 IP.
Officially, Garnet Hathaway has played his last game as a Philadelphia Flyers player.
On Thursday morning, the Flyers traded Hathaway to the Florida Panthers, ending a three-year tenure in Philadelphia for the veteran tough guy.
By moving on from Hathaway, the Flyers moved up one round in the 2026 NHL Draft.
In exchange for Hathaway, 50% retention of his $2.4 million cap hit, and a 2026 sixth-round pick, the Flyers received a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
After adding Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa, the Panthers continue to add experienced, physical players who can help them win now.
As for the Flyers, they clear a roster spot, a contract spot, and $1.2 million in cap space while adding even more draft capital.
They do, however, lose an important leader who played some hard minutes for head coaches John Tortorella and Rick Tocchet.
The Hathaway trade clearly indicates that the Flyers feel their young players are ready to step into greater leadership roles, and this gives a veteran who accepted a reduced role a chance to win a Stanley Cup elsewhere.
Just months ago, the Flyers did the same with tough guy Nick Deslauriers, trading him away for free, and he won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes and was subsequently rewarded with a two-year extension.
Hathaway, 34, stumbled to just one goal and two assists in 66 games for the Flyers last season, but finishes his career in Philadelphia with 18 goals, 23 assists, and 41 points in 215 games, the second-most he's played with any team in his 11-year NHL career.
Jun 24, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) celebrates after hitting a double in the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Yes, good morning, everyone. To conclude their four-game series in St. Petersburg, the Royals and Rays face each other on this fine Thursday a.m. It’s not every day that you can watch baseball before noon–well, maybe it is if you live out west, but rare is this chance for Kansas Citians.
At stake: the series! The Royals won the first two games against the Rays in vastly different fashions before dropping last night’s ho-hum contest. Now, Kansas City can take the series with a victory while the Rays, bless their hearts, can only split the series.
Let’s check out the lineups with the Royals first, of course.
Once more, Bobby Witt Jr. is not in the lineup, nor has he been placed on the Injured List. Maybe he’ll show up in Chicago.
But focusing on those starting, Carter Jensen remains in the leadoff spot, where he’s hit very well. I’m glad to see Nick Loftin getting another start, although, I mean, who else is there to play over him? Jac Caglianone didn’t hit a home run yesterday, so he’s clearly a bust. Lane Thomas is batting cleanup. Sure, whatever. Salvador Perez remains in the sixth spot, Isaac Collins and Starling Marte round out the outfield, and Tyler Tolbert starts at short.
The Royals face Opener–I refuse to call this man a starting pitcher–Casey Legumina. Have you heard of him? If so, kudos. I hadn’t, though I’m not exactly a Rays fan. It’ll be his 17th appearance for the Rays after appearing in eight games to start the season with the Mariners. Looking at his numbers…he’s fine.
Seth Lugo is on the mound for the Royals. Recently on 810 Sports Radio, ESPN’s Jeff Passan named Lugo as the biggest Royal name to be moved at this year’s deadline. Makes sense. I like Lugo a lot, but he’s probably better off pitching for a contender (he’s already 36) while bringing back a younger piece or two to Kansas City.
Lugo’s last outing was an odd one. He picked up the win against the Cardinals after surrendering only one earned run (two runs total) through six. He gave up five hits and allowed three walks while not striking out a single batter. In fact, his strikeouts have decreased each of his last four starts from six to four to two to zero. Expect negative strikeouts today.
