Is Brett Kulak’s Avalanche Contract Really One of the NHL’s Worst? [Sports Illustrated]
After helping Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022, Jack Johnson is beginning a new chapter by joining one of college hockey’s premier programs at Ohio State. [The Hockey News]
The Avalanche announced last week that the team has signed forward Georgii Merkulov to a one-year contract for the 2026-27 season. [Colorado Avalanche]
Former Colorado Avalanche forward Andrew Agozzino announced his retirement from professional hockey on Tuesday after 14 years. [Col Hockey Now]
News Around the League
Top remaining NHL free agents: The best 2026 UFAs still on the board. [The Daily Faceoff]
Larkin, Hellebuyck appear on ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ with fellow gold medalists. [NHL]
President Trump’s new 50% U.S. tariffs hit Canadian hockey: How Bauer, CCM, and Sherwood will be affected. [Yahoo Finance]
Former Maple Leafs, Oilers goalie Jack Campbell ‘walking away’ from hockey. [Sportsnet]
Hockey Canada coach Donskov praises Celebrini: ‘Touched by the hand of God’. [TSN]
Kane rejoined Blackhawks to win, not ‘ride off into the sunset’. [The Score]
While it may have taken some time, the shockwaves the Philadelphia Flyers sent through the Anaheim Ducks with their $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson are starting to form visible cracks.
Because the Ducks matched the five-year, $18 million AAV deal signed by their 21-year-old budding star, they are now severely limited on cap space, left with just $9 million to sign young 40-goal-scorer Cutter Gauthier to a new contract--an amount not expected to be nearly enough.
Veteran contributors like Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, and Frank Vatrano have all emerged as trade candidates with the Ducks in dire need of cap space, and other NHL teams are aware of that fact, meaning the Ducks may not get anything substantive in return with their lack of leverage.
The Flyers have forced the Ducks into an unwinnable position, even though their true intentions were to sign Carlsson.
Credit to the Ducks for being unwavering in their stance, but we're now starting to see the unintended consequences.
The latest example is that 2026 first-round pick Nikita Klepov, who was included on Michigan State University's roster just one day prior, signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks on Saturday, making him ineligible for collegiate play.
Now, instead of playing college hockey at any point in his development, Klepov has two options: back to the CHL with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit, or make the NHL outright with the Ducks.
Because the Flyers forced such a massive contract upon the Ducks and left them in need of spare cash, the Ducks will need as many low-money contributors as they can to replace the likes of Kreider, Killorn, and Vatrano if and when they are traded.
As an 18-year-old on an ELC, Klepov has a cap hit of just $1.075 million, plus some potential for performance bonuses.
For comparison, Vatrano, the cheapest of the trio, comes with a $4.571 million cap charge.
It may very well not turn out to be the end of the world, but it certainly seems that the Flyers may have forced the Ducks to consider giving Klepov a real run at an NHL roster spot fresh out of the 2026 draft just because they needed to save some money.
Klepov, the 15th overall pick, is talented and absolutely deserving of his draft status, but being thrown right into a competitive NHL environment is far from ideal for his development.
Gauthier has the power to create a favorable outcome for the Ducks with his next contract, but that doesn't seem likely at this stage. Take it from the Flyers.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken on a slew of new contracts this off-season. That comes from their abundance of free-agency acquisitions, trades or even Gavin McKenna's entry-level contract that he signed on the final day of development camp on July 3.
Some contracts are better than others, and some are easy for the team to handle if a certain player needs to be moved. The constant growth of the salary cap helps with the way organizations handle the bigger contracts, and for the Leafs, it's tough to say there is a very horrible contract that's holding the franchise back.
Nonetheless, that doesn't mean there aren't challenging contracts on the team's payroll. Whether that be how long the deal is, the salary cap hit, or even the clauses that are included for each player.
Here are the three most challenging contracts on the Maple Leafs' roster going into the 2026-27 NHL season, in alphabetical order.
Dakota Joshua, LW
Dakota Joshua has two more years left on the four-year contract that he originally signed with the Vancouver Canucks in June 2024. Joshua and his $3.25-million salary cap hit became the Maple Leafs' responsibility when he was traded to Toronto for a 2028 fourth-round draft pick last off-season.
The main issue with this deal is that Joshua hasn't played up to the standard of his salary and has been bumped down the Leafs' lineup as a result. Even with the cap rising, it's not ideal to have a player earn above $3 million as a fourth liner, unless they provide another dimension to their game that's rare around the league.
It's fair to say that Morgan Rielly hasn't been playing up to standard over the past couple of seasons. However, he doesn't perform much lower than how a $7.5-million defenseman should.
After all, he still logs important minutes for Toronto, averaging the second-most minutes on the team for the past two seasons at 21:08 in 2025-26 and 21:23 in 2024-25. And frankly, he's a top-four defenseman on most teams in the NHL, despite only notching 36 points in 78 games this past year.
Therefore, the issue is not his salary. But if Toronto wanted to move off Rielly to change up the D-corps and for the veteran to receive a change in scenery after 13 seasons with the Leafs, the length of the deal and his clause might be what scares potential trade partners away, or at least from providing a sufficient return.
Rielly has four more years left on his contract, which will take him to the age of 36 when it expires. With that, he has a no-move clause for the rest of his deal, with a modified 10-team no-trade clause attached to the final two years of the agreement, according to PuckPedia.
For the Maple Leafs, Sissons' contract isn't all that back-breaking, just like much of the roster, thanks to the salary cap. However, his cap hit is a little high considering the stature of the player he is.
Sissons has never been a difference-maker offensively, and that attribute is the common denominator in paying a high price tag for a skater, even defensemen. Instead, the 32-year-old is known more for his two-way game and efforts on the penalty kill and faceoff dot. Those are still very much helpful tools to his new team, but it's not a rare talent.
Still, his cap hit isn't blasphemy, as he's still an effective player. But the fact that Sissons' salary is just about $140,000 less than what John Tavares makes - who is a consistent 30-goal scorer - is slightly puzzling, even if Tavares took an obvious pay cut.
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NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 04: Jake Allen #34 of the New Jersey Devils defend his net during the second period of the game against the Montréal Canadiens on April 4, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
“All in all, Mehta’s business has directly opened a plethora of different doors in the event that things don’t go as planned to begin 2026-27. From the roster to the Comets to the coaching staff, the Devils have fallback after fallback to resort to. Bar none, it should be regarded as the biggest plus of Mehta’s short tenure as the Devils’ GM.” [Infernal Access]
“Mercer is coming off a solid season, but he has failed to take that step forward many of us have been hoping for since the 2022-23 season. While it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mercer start 2026-27 with the Devils, it may only be a matter of time before GM Sunny Mehta trades him for an upgrade.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
“The three-goalie tandem is becoming more popular in the NHL. Just last season, the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes leaned on this system, with both teams finding success by making the playoffs, and in the Hurricanes’ case, winning the Stanley Cup. More teams look to be in a position for a three-goalie tandem this season, including the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils. Devils’ goaltender Jake Allen joined Daily Faceoff Live last week to talk about the pros and cons of the three-goalie tandem.” [Daily Faceoff]
Hockey Links
Who is still left on the UFA market? [Daily Faceoff]
Cole Sillinger gets a three-year deal:
KEEPIN’ THINGS SILLY FOR 3 MORE SEASONS 🤩⁰
We’ve signed F Cole Sillinger to a $13.875 million contract through the 2028-29 season!
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 25, 2026
“Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill said signing winger Jason Robertson to a long-term contract remains his goal, after the two sides ended a contentious negotiation with a one-year deal this week.” [ESPN]
“After leading the Vegas Golden Knights on a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final this spring, John Tortorella has no interest in walking away from the game.” [TSN]
“Who’s every team’s biggest on-ice villain from a rival opponent in franchise history? The Athletic asked its staff this week.” [The Athletic ($)]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Chase Pietila (44) on the ice during the first period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Getting us underway on this year’s Top 25 Under 25 countdown is rising defenseman Chase Pietila who just completed his first full professional season as a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League.
Following two seasons of collegiate hockey at Michigan Tech, Chase Pietila signed his entry level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2025 and got his first taste of professional hockey with 12 games played between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Wheeling Nailers at the end of the 2024-25 season.
After getting his feet wet in the professional game, Pietila entered the 2025-26 season looking to further establish himself and continue his development. Like many prospects, he joined the Penguins for the start of training camp before ultimately being reassigned to the AHL where he spent the entire season, developing into a solid blue line option for the Baby Pens as they made a deep playoff run all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.
Pietila began the season on the WBS second defensive pairing, but was moved up and down the lineup throughout the season to fill injury holes and experiment to see where he best fit. He saw action on both the left side and right side of the blue line, but his more regular place was on the right which is where he played in all 14 postseason contests for the Baby Pens.
Offense was not the name of the game for Pietila this season, but he did manage to contribute some, scoring twice and totaling 14 assists in the regular season. He added an additional goal and assist in the Calder Cup playoffs.
Where Pietila did excel was in the physical nature of the game. He was second on the team in penalty minutes with 85 and posted five fighting majors, equaling Boko Imama for most among the Baby Penguins.
To be certain, he had a strong — if hardly spectacular — first professional season. But there’s still plenty of refinement needed if he is to reach the NHL.
Pietila plays a by-the-book game rooted in defense, penalty killing and toughness. Any offense he provides is a bonus.
He is headed in the right direction, even if it will take him some time to get to his desired destination.
While Pietila did not particiapte in the Penguins recent development camp earlier this month, his Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach Kirk MacDonald was in attendance and spoke on several of his players, including Pietila who MacDonald praised for his defensive game.
Per Trib Live:
“I can kind of say the same thing,” MacDonald said. “I think they (Pietila and Harding) were top-five in the league in plus/minus (as rookies). … He competes really hard. Defends well. Penalty kills. He provides some offense, but I think he knows for him to take the next step, he’s got to continue to defend hard and consistently do that. When you can have guys like that, first-year guys, that you can lean on consistently every night on the back end, it’s great not only for our team but the organization.”
As MacDonald said in the quote above, Pietila posted a huge plus/minus this season of +27, among the best in the AHL. MacDonald was also clearly impressed by the defensive side of Pietila’s game and hopes he can continue to develop in those areas as his career progresses.
Solid defense with the occasional contributions on offense seem to be the best route for Pietila to take if he hopes to crack the NHL roster at some point in his future. Right now, the right side of the Penguins blue line is clogged with the likes of Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, in addition to fellow prospect Harrison Brunicke.
It’s unlikely Pietila finds his way to Pittsburgh in 2026-27 with where he stands on the Penguins depth chart, but another season in the AHL where he can log a ton of ice time and play in high leverage situations will help continue his development and give him his best chance to break into the NHL down the road when the path ahead becomes a little more clear cut.
Slovene is youngest of riders to win five Tours de France and few would bet against him claiming sixth victory next year
The 2026 Tour de France served up an epic battle that lasted for day after day between two protagonists of the highest calibre with different skillsets, a tale of epic breakaways, intriguing team tactics and reversals of fortune, building to a spectacular climax on the race’s toughest stage. The contest for the green jersey of points winner between Mads Pedersen and Jasper Philipsen was a classic.
Those hoping for something similar in the race for the yellow jersey of overall winner were disappointed, and rapidly. Any suspense was eliminated with 42km of stage six remaining, high above the ski village of La Mongie, when Tadej Pogacar dislodged Jonas Vingegaard and the other putative race favourites on the Col du Tourmalet. It was a familiar stinging attack, and a familiar outcome, with the Slovene opening a lead that looked insurmountable, as indeed it was.
The Denver Nuggets made the right basketball decision, but now they face a steep tax bill and second-apron questions.
Denver has decided to match Oklahoma City's two-year, $11.8 million offer sheet to Spencer Jones, keeping him in a Nuggets uniform for next season, a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
From a basketball perspective, Denver made the no-brainer move, especially for a team with questions about depth. Jones is a 6'7" wing who is a strong on-ball defender, shot 39.6% from 3-point range, and started 37 games for Denver a season ago. Plus, he dropped 20 points on the Timberwolves in Game 5 of their playoff series, basically winning the Nuggets the game.
20 points on 78% shooting for Spencer Jones in Game 5 of the first round,
However, this was not a simple decision financially — just matching Jones' offer jumped the Nuggets' luxury tax bill from $36 million to $68 million, reports Bobby Marks of ESPN. That tax bill is going to climb to at least $112 million, and that's if Peyton Watson chooses to play for the $6.5 million qualifying offer. If he and the Nuggets agree to a new deal, the tax numbers only skyrocket from there.
Denver is now eight million above the second apron, according to Marks, and again that is without a new deal for Watson. Nuggets ownership and management have some tough calls to make about this roster and the tax.
Mar 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Dalen Terry (14) dribbles the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Turns out only one ex-Wildcat will get to be part of LeBron James’ latest NBA chapter.
Former Arizona wing Dalen Terry was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, two days after news broke the Sixers were signing James to a 2-year, $8 million contract.
The 24-year-old Terry appeared in 21 games for Philadelphia, technically his third team during the 2025-26 season after being traded from the Chicago Bulls to New Orleans in February and then waived by the Pelicans the next day. Philly signed Terry to a 2-way deal on Feb. 10, converting it standard deal on April 10 right before the regular season ended.
Terry averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 11.7 minutes during 14 regular season games with the Sixers, then in the NBA Playoffs had 13 points in 39 minutes over seven games.
Had Philly held onto him Terry would have been one of two ex-UA players on the Sixers in 2026-27, as they signed Caleb Love to a 2-way deal in early July.
Originally drafted by the Bulls with the 18th overall pick in 2022, Terry played 3-plus seasons in Chicago and started seven games. He spent two years at the UA, starting 14 games as a freshman in Sean Miller’s final season and then all 37 games on Tommy Lloyd’s first Wildcat squad.
After years of fighting for a consistent NHL opportunity, Zac Jones finally delivered the type of season that made teams take notice — and earned himself a fresh chance with the Utah Mammoth.
The 25-year-old defenseman turned the 2025-26 season into a statement year, emerging as one of the most productive blue-liners in the American Hockey League and proving that his offensive upside was still very much intact. That performance ultimately led to Utah signing Jones to a two-year, two-way contract worth $875,000 annually at the NHL level.
Jones’ breakout campaign came with the Rochester Americans, where he became a driving force from the back end. In 60 games, he recorded 10 goals and 52 assists for 62 points, earning First Team AHL All-Star honors and representing the North Division at his first AHL All-Star Classic.
What stood out most was Jones’ ability to create offense. He led all AHL players in assists while also pacing the league in power-play assists with 36 and power-play points with 38. Among defensemen, he finished first in scoring and led all blueliners with 168 shots on goal, showcasing his willingness to attack and generate opportunities.
The season represented a major step forward for Jones, who had previously never reached those offensive heights at any level. His 10 goals were the most of his junior, collegiate, or professional career, while his 52 assists more than doubled his previous AHL single-season best of 26, set during the 2021-22 season.
Utah is also adding a player with valuable NHL experience. Jones spent parts of five seasons with the New York Rangers, appearing in 115 games and collecting four goals and 24 assists. He reached a career-high 46 NHL games in 2024-25, finishing seventh among Rangers defensemen in scoring with 11 points.
Before turning pro, Jones built a strong résumé at both the collegiate and international levels. He helped the University of Massachusetts win its first national championship in 2020-21, earning Second Team All-American honors while also being named to the Hockey East and NCAA All-Tournament Teams. He was also recognized as the USHL Rookie of the Year in 2018-19 after leading all league defensemen with 45 assists.
For the Mammoth, the signing represents a low-risk opportunity to add a skilled puck-moving defenseman who has already shown he can dominate at the AHL level. The next challenge for Jones will be turning that success into a permanent NHL role — something he has been chasing since the Rangers selected him 68th overall in 2019.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 10: Harrison Ingram #55 of the San Antonio Spurs goes through drills before the start of a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center on April 10, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Utah Jazz announced they signed former UNC small forward, Harrison Ingram.
According to the Jazz, terms of the deal were not disclosed. From Utah Jazz PR:
The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed forward Harrison Ingram. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In their release, the Jazz note that Ingram is 6’5” and played two seasons for the “spent the past two seasons (2024-26) with the San Antonio Spurs, appearing in 12 NBA games while also appearing in 88 contests with the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate.”
Ingram was also a decorated collegiate player with Stanford and UNC. As I mentioned, the terms of this deal were not disclosed, so that means my favorite thing happens … assssummmmptiionnnns.
My guess is this is some sort of contract for training camp and preseason. Just like NFL teams, sometimes you need players to play on your “practice squad.”
But maybe it’s something more? Could this be a reaction to Summer League, and is Ingram a player who might be an upgrade to someone like Cody Williams? Maybe. It was not the most inspiring Las Vegas Summer League for the Jazz, and maybe this is to give someone a look that they like. Either way, it’s good to see the Jazz active. Having won the lottery and drafted a potential superstar in Darryn Peterson, who will join a solid core foundation, means the Jazz should be as active as possible trying to find depth pieces for the future. Perhaps Ingram is one of those.
Asked Sunday about the Hall of Famer’s impact on the organization in his role as a special assistant, interim manager Andy Green pointed to Beltrán’s willingness to take on the least glamorous of assignments.
“I think the things you have to appreciate about elite performers are the things they do when the spotlight is not on them,” Green said before the Mets beat the Dodgers 8-3 at Citi Field. “It’s when he shows up in Daytona with our A-ball team and shares wisdom with our young hitters.”
Carlos Beltrán is pictured during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony July 26. Charles Wenzelberg
The former outfielder began as a Mets special assistant in 2023 — his return to the game after he stepped aside as the team’s manager (after only 77 days at the helm without managing a game) in the fallout over the Astros’ illegal sign-stealing scheme.
Beltrán is sometimes with the major league team as a sounding board for players, but hasn’t shied away from an equally important part of his job, according to Green.
Andy Green is pictured during the Mets’ July 10 game against the Red Sox. Charles Wenzelberg
“It’s because he wants to invest in the next generation of Mets,” Green said. “It’s one thing when you show up in the big league clubhouse and live the big league life. It’s another when you are willing to go down and talk to our minor league players and invest in them. That is where the respect really grows.”
Green indicated a next step hasn’t been decided upon for Clay Holmes, who threw a side session before the game.
Holmes pitched 2 ¹/₃ innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday in his first minor league rehab start following a fractured right fibula.
Francisco Lindor delivered an RBI single in the first inning.
Over his past 10 games, Lindor owns a .282/.364/.513 slash line with two homers and seven RBIs.
The Mets snapped a six-game losing streak against the Dodgers that dated to June 5 of last year.
In the past two months, though, it’s the lefties that have done the killing against the Yankees utility player.
Still — in part because the Yankees are beat up and are now without three of their better hitters against lefties in Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton — Rosario hit third again Sunday night against Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sánchez in an 11-4 loss in the series finale at Citizens Bank Park.
“If you watch the at-bats, especially against lefties, I know the numbers haven’t been there, but he’s having the right at-bats, he’s just going through it a little bit,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Amed Rosario, pictured during a Yankees game July 17, has struggled against left-handed pitching recently. Getty Images
In 50 plate appearances against lefties through May 26, Rosario was hitting .273 with an .888 OPS.
But in 56 plate appearances against lefties since then, entering Sunday, he was batting just .135 with a .408 OPS.
That included being in a 1-for-17 slump entering Sunday’s game.
Rosario was 1-for-4 in the loss with a pair of strikeouts before being lifted for pinch hitter Ryan McMahon in the ninth.
Rosario has continued to be a staple in the top third of Yankees lineups against most lefties despite the lack of results, though they are not overflowing with options to replace him.
The 30-year-old did still have an average exit velocity of 90.3 mph and an 11.1 percent barrel rate, both of which ranked in the top half of the league and gave the Yankees some hope that he was capable of getting back on track.
“He’s on stuff and is presenting like a guy that’s going to impact against lefties,” Boone said. “He’s just, on a smaller level, hasn’t gotten results. But doesn’t change my confidence that he will moving forward.”
Judge and Stanton are expected to travel to Chicago with the Yankees this week for their series against the White Sox and Cubs.
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“We’ll have some of our trainer guys that go on the road, we’ll be able to do that,” Boone said.
Cross Shea Langeliers off the list of potential catchers the Yankees could acquire at the trade deadline.
Langeliers, under contract through 2028, was going to be tough to land, but now his injury has essentially ruled out any trade involving him.
Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery) faced hitters for the second time Sunday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, continuing his ramp-up toward a rehab assignment. … Max Fried will start Monday’s series opener against the White Sox, giving Gerrit Cole an extra day of rest before starting Tuesday after both had thrown in Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Scott Laughton did not start the 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Kings; rather, he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs and played the majority of his games there last season. Then, on March 6th, on trade deadline day, the Kings traded for Laughton in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft. Before being traded to the Kings, Laughton had registered 8 goals, 4 assists for 12 points in 43 games.
Scott Laughton's Kings Season
After the trade deadline, Scott Laughton, in the regular season, would play in 21 games for the Kings, registering 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points. While the biggest move for the Kings was getting Panarin, Scott Laughton improved the Kings' depth and penalty kill. The Kings organization highly valued Laughton, and one of their primary goals was to ensure he could stay in Los Angeles. Laughton would sign a 3-year, $3.5 million AAV contract with the Kings.
So while the Kings were able to keep a player they valued, it also helped their center depth, which is one of the weakest points on their entire roster, especially after the retirement of Anze Kopitar. Scott Laughton's defensive ability helps the Kings both at even strength and on the penalty kill, as they trust that he can be a strong defender against some of the best offensive players in the NHL.
Overall, the Laughton trade was a positive for the Kings, as they did not have to give up much to acquire him, but his extension with Los Angeles allows them to continue focusing on adding more centermen to the roster. While Laughton is likely not going to play top-line minutes, he still shows his leadership and strong play with depth, and if the Kings can add more to the center depth, Laughton's value could get even higher for the Kings if he continues to play his strong game.
The Yankees' offense struggled again during their loss to the Phillies.
PHILADELPHIA — Aaron Judge was back in the visiting dugout at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday night and had a front-row seat to an 11-4 loss to the Phillies.
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If the Yankees end up getting Judge back and make a run in the postseason, Sunday night’s lineup might be amusing to some.
If they don’t, it could be looked at as a low point for a team that sure seems in need of some reinforcements before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, which is a week from Monday.
By then, we’ll have a better idea of what the Yankees will look like down the stretch, but until Judge and — maybe — Giancarlo Stanton get back from the IL, it’s hard to expect anything from this lineup.
Aaron Judge is pictured during the Yankees’ July 22 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
“That’s above my pay grade,” Judge said when asked what he thought of where the team’s needs were as the deadline approaches. “We’ve got a good team where we’re at. That’s our job as players, to give the front office the ability to get the final pieces. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”
At this point, though, the current version of the Yankees can be a tough watch.
Look at the middle of Sunday night’s depleted lineup:
Amed Rosario, a key part of the Yankees’ strong second half last season, entered Sunday in a 1-for-18 rut with 11 strikeouts in that span.
And yet, he was forced to hit third against Philadelphia lefty Cristopher Sánchez.
Then there was Jasson Domínguez, now further entrenched as the regular right fielder with both Judge and Bellinger sidelined.
Domínguez hit cleanup and was followed by Anthony Volpe.
Volpe delivered a pair of doubles, but they were his first extra-base hits in a month and he made an ugly throwing error to open the bottom of the sixth that set up Philadelphia’s five-run inning that iced the game.
George Lombard Jr. seems closer to the majors every day.
Anthony Volpe reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ July 26 loss. AP Photo
He’s 12-for-26 with four extra-base hits in eight games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since returning from an IL stint due to sprained fingers, although he made a throwing error Sunday.
And Max Schuemann, out of place in left field, dove for a ball far out of his reach on Alec Bohm’s three-run double in the third.
Ben Rice reacts after lining out during the Yankees’ July 26 loss. Getty Images
José Caballero went hitless again in the ugly loss.
Asked before the game if he believed the Yankees needed another bat by the deadline, Aaron Boone said, “We’ll see. I know we want to try to improve our club. I know the front office is grinding away at that. I know we’re gonna try … You never know what’s gonna be out there.”
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As The Post has reported, they are in the market for a righty-hitting outfielder and catcher, as well as help in the bullpen.
Despite their issues, the Yankees head to Chicago to play the White Sox for four games and then the Cubs for three, firmly in postseason contention.
But it won’t be easy without Judge and Co.
“Keep moving forward,’’ Judge said of the team’s mentality. “We’ve got a lot of depth with guys in the minor leagues that are ready to go.”
7/26/26 – Andruw Jones, speaking during the 2026 Baseball Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, where along with Carlos Beltrán and Jeff Kent, they were inducted into of the 2026 National...
COOPERSTOWN — Maybe the Yankees, who still can tell you what he did in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series, and the Mets can blame one of their own for Andruw Jones.
One of the first names Jones mentioned during his Hall of Fame induction was Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens, a Yankees utility player from 1989-93 and assistant hitting coach in 2022, plus a Mets bench coach in 2020.
Jones, the first Hall of Famer from Curaçao, wanted to thank Meulens, who was the first native of Curaçao to play in Major League Baseball.
Andruw Jones speaks during his Hall of Fame induction ceremony July 26. Charles Wenzelberg
“ ‘Bam Bam’ opened the door for many others to chase their dream of being a professional,” Jones said during a speech finally given after nine years on the ballot. “When I made it in Atlanta, I knew I could inspire a lot of people from Curaçao to reach the major leagues.”
He has watched the likes of Ozzie Albies, Jurickson Profar, Jonathan Schoop, Andrelton Simmons, Kenley Jansen and plenty more reach MLB from a Dutch Caribbean island more than 2,000 miles away from here, where Jones put the finishing touches on a 17-year career Sunday.
The longtime Braves star center fielder was introduced by John Smoltz and spoke while Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones sat behind him, fixtures on Braves teams that owned the NL East and lost to the Yankees in the 1996 and 1999 World Series.
Jones thanked “Larry Wayne” Jones, his “brother from another mother,” for pushing for his induction.
“The Jones boys are in Cooperstown now,” Andruw Jones said.
Hanging over Jones’ moment was that his longtime manager was not present.
Bobby Cox, himself a Hall of Famer, died in May at 84.
“Nobody in the Braves organization had a bigger impact on me than manager Bobby Cox,” said Jones, who homered in his first two World Series at-bats (against Andy Pettitte and Brian Boehringer), becoming the youngest to ever homer in the Fall Classic. “He put a 19-year-old in the World Series in the lineup and believed in me.
Andruw Jones, pictured second from the left, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Bobby had confidence in me and helped me become the best player I could be. He commanded respect, created a winning culture. You play hard. You play to win, and you always give an honest effort. Simple rules to play the game.”
Jones, one of the greatest center fielders ever and a powerful bat, played with Atlanta from 1996-2007 and then bounced around.
In his speech, he thanked both Joe Torre (who managed him with the Dodgers) and Joe Girardi (his manager with the Yankees in 2011-12).
