Canadiens Rumoured To Have Interest In Young Blueliner
While the Montreal Canadiens have been as silent as can be in both the free-agent and trade markets, at least when it comes to finalizing deals, GM Kent Hughes has been busy putting pen to paper with the team’s young players. There was no urgency in signing Ivan Demidov and Jakub Dobes on paper. They still had a year left on their deal, but taking care of those contracts a year in advance means the Canadiens no longer have to worry about them. Demidov wouldn’t have been eligible for an offer sheet next season, but Dobes could have been, and the situation the Anaheim Ducks find themselves in right now is a cautionary tale if ever there was one.
Their budding first-line center, Leo Carlsson, has signed an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers for an $18 million cap hit. Cutter Gauthier is an RFA, and while he cannot sign an offer sheet, he is no doubt closely monitoring the Carlsson situation. Defenseman Pavel Mintyukov is an RFA as well, but like Carlsson, he could sign an offer sheet, and several teams are reportedly interested, including the Canadiens, according to David Pagnotta.
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That seems rather surprising considering that Mintyukov is a left-shot defenseman, something the Canadiens are definitely not lacking. Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj are all lefties, just like Adam Engstrom, who’s knocking on the Canadiens’ door and has seen enough AHL action.
However, it was clear in the playoffs that Martin St-Louis didn’t have much trust in Xhekaj and Struble. If the Habs can find a right-shot defenseman to play alongside Hutson, Guhle would go back to the left side, and neither of them would have to be used. But that’s proven to be a tough challenge.
Matvei Michkov and Pavel Mintyukov were going AT IT, and Mintyukov wanted to fight but Michkov wasn't interested 😳😅 pic.twitter.com/sbtPQJl4WY
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 19, 2026
If the Canadiens were to go for Mintyukov, it would certainly mean more movement. The 22-year-old was the 10th overall pick at the 2022 NHL draft, and in three NHL seasons, he has put up 69 points in 204 games while averaging 18:04 of ice time. There’s no denying that he has a lot of talent and potential, but is he what the Canadiens need? He does have a game that’s more rugged than Mike Matheson or Noah Dobson; he has landed 82 hits this past season after landing 81 and 85 in his first two seasons.
With the Ducks currently dealing with the fallout of the Carlsson offer sheet, it would be another for GM Pat Verbeek if another team were to offer sheet Mintyukov, which may make him amenable to a sign-and-trade deal for the blueliner, who’s yet another client of Gold Star agent Dan Milstein. Could Verbeek be willing to send the talented blueliner to Montreal in exchange for another left-hand defenseman and some futures? That remains to be seen, but acquiring Mintyukov without unloading another left-shot defenseman wouldn’t make sense for the Canadiens.
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Random Thoughts about the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, Pavel Mintyukov and Shane Wright
About once every 15 years the Flyers go crazy with an offer sheet. In 2012, it was for Shea Weber to a $110 million contract for 14 years. Nashville would match that, but go on to trade Weber soon after.
The Flyers were back in the lab, concocting a scheme to make Leo Carlsson the highest paid player in the NHL at the age of 21, before he even has a 30-goal or 70-point season under his belt. And so it will be, with Carlsson making $18 million annually for the next five years, either with Philadelphia or Anaheim if they take the poison pill and match – as their previously promised would happen.
It’s an interesting move that has turned the hockey world on its head. The Flyers needed to do something bold and a franchise player is about the only piece missing for their young core. It takes a massive overpay to have a chance to poach another team’s restricted free agent, and no one can say they didn’t take that big swing. They’ll hope/expect their next four first round picks that they’d send to Anaheim if they don’t match would all be out of the lottery and down towards the end of the draft. If so, the high trade price isn’t that bad.
The Ducks have long been playing with fire with their young players. Getting contracts out of Anaheim has often been pulling teeth – Mason McTavish, Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras have all been without contracts when training camps have started in recent years (it’d be inaccurate to call it a hold out, when they don’t have a contract in the first place). This team drags their feet to suppress salary as long as they can, which now ironically has come back to bite them big time and ruin their whole cap structure. The lesson to other teams is clear: don’t forget what the second word in RFA means (free), let your young star players hit restricted free agency at your own peril. Anaheim has learned that lesson today.
Anaheim could be in more trouble, the sharks (not the NHL team but the whole league) are reportedly circling now that there’s blood in the water.
The Penguins traded their 2027 third round pick in the deal to acquire Hendrix Lapierre. That takes away a lot of this summer’s offer sheet ability (which goes to show the expectation/plan didn’t include much by way of trying offer sheets), but Pittsburgh
AFP and Evolving Hockey has Mintyukov’s projected salary at $3.4ish million AAV if it goes two years on a bridge deal. Another team could put further strain on Anaheim’s position if Mintyukov agreed to a short-term deal worth $4.775 million. The Ducks might have cap space to match – they’d still have $20m in room if they match Carlsson’s deal – but they do still have the non-offer sheet eligible Cutter Gauthier to sign and round out a blueline that lost talent.
On the whole, it wouldn’t make since for ANA to let Mintyukov go if it cost $4.775 million to match, regardless of what happens with Carlsson, but now they’re exposed to answering questions a team would rather not have to answer. If an NHL team really wanted Mintyukov, they would have to do what the Flyers did and go strong – offer him in the $7 million range for five years (requiring a first and third round pick transferred to Anaheim). Forcing the issue and raising the stakes to wildly high proportions is the way to go in order to accomplish the goal.
The Pens don’t have their third round pick, and perhaps no interest in giving up a future first, so they will be sitting those proceedings out. They’ll surely be interested observers in seeing what happens with Carlsson – and pulling hard for Anaheim to match and keep their young star player.
—
Another situation to watch: Shane Wright.
The fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Wright just completed his second full season, with 12 goals and 27 points in 74 games. As the trade deadline approached, his name was out there, particularly in Seattle’s attempt to land Artemi Panarin. (Panarin was laser-focused on Los Angeles, with many teams — not only the Kraken — unable to bribe him elsewhere.)
Wright’s still available, and there’s motivation to make it work, although disagreement on the commitment.
“I can confirm that we have had positive conversations with GM Jason Botterill, and he has agreed to move Shane this summer to a team in need of a top young centre,” Wright’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, said Wednesday.
Botterill would not comment. Other executives who’ve spoken to Seattle said there’s obviously an agreement between team and agent to work together, but the Kraken made it extremely clear they expect a fair price and won’t be pressured into anything they don’t want to do. In other words, they are making no guarantees.
Shane Wright checks every box for the type of players that the Penguins target these days for being a young player, with talent that still needs to truly blossom. Targeting or identifying the players is one thing, actually acquiring them is another. Seeking a “fair price” for a 22-year old former fourth overall pick that has scored 71 points in the NHL in the last two seasons – and still barely scratched the surface of what could be unlocked presents a tricky scenario.
Surely Seattle isn’t going to let that guy go for cheap, he has breakout potential and they’ve invested a lot in him. At the same time, finding a buyer to pay a premium for what’s been an uneven career naturally is going to be a tough ask.
It’s worth watching for the Penguins, they have a ton of forwards on the NHL roster now but could always use a 22-year old center with significant upside for the present and future. Whether or not they have the right assets to make a deal with the Kraken, plus the interest in parting with whatever that right deal is, could be anyone’s guess.
4 Ex-Blue Jackets Are Among The NHL's Top Free Agents Left
NHL free agency may have slowed down now that July 1 has passed, but there are still a good number of unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who have not signed with teams. A decent number of them are former Columbus Blue Jackets players, as Patrik Laine, Nick Blankenburg, James van Riemsdyk, and Danton Heinen have all not landed new deals yet.
Laine spent four seasons with the Blue Jackets from 2020-21 to 2023-24 before being dealt to the Montreal Canadiens following his trade request. The skilled winger spent most of his time with the Canadiens injured and played in just five games last season for Montreal.
Blankenburg spent his first three NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets from 2021-22 to 2023-24. He recorded new career highs with eight goals, 16 assists, and 24 points in 61 games last season split between the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche. With this, the former Blue Jackets blueliner should eventually find a new home.
van Riemsdyk spent the 2024-25 season with the Blue Jackets, where he recorded 16 goals and 36 points in 71 games. He followed that up this past season by posting 15 goals and 31 points in 72 games with the Detroit Red Wings. The potential for him to land a one-year deal or PTO with another NHL team is there. That is assuming that the 37-year-old does not retire.
As for Heinen, he finished this past season with the Blue Jackets after they acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Egor Chinakhov trade. In 33 games with Columbus following the move, the 10-year veteran posted five goals and five assists.
Ex-Sabres Blueliner Is NHL's Top Defenseman Free Agent Left
The NHL has seen most of this year's top unrestricted free agents (UFAs) sign their new contracts. While this is the case, there are still some decent players who have yet to be signed.
Interestingly, a former Buffalo Sabres blueliner is the best UFA defenseman still available for the taking: Logan Stanley.
It is a bit surprising to see that Stanley has not found a new home at this point in the off-season. The 6-foot-7 defenseman just had the best season of his NHL career so far in 2025-26 and is right in his prime at 28 years old. Yet, at the time of this writing, he is still looking for his next contract.
With Stanley now being the top UFA defenseman still on the market, it feels inevitable that he will find his new home soon. Teams will always value big defensemen who play an edge, and Stanley fits that description.
Stanley showed last season that he can also produce some offense from the point, as he set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 76 games split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres. He also recorded 110 hits and 128 penalty minutes.
It will be interesting to see where Stanley ends up, but he could be a good fit on multiple teams.
Former Canucks In New Places: 2026 Free Agency Edition
Free agency in the NHL is off to a flying start. After the first four days, teams around the league have over 200 contracts and committed over one billion dollars. With this in mind, here is a look at where players who were part of the Vancouver Canucks organization in 2025-26 have signed during Free Agency 2026.
Danila Klimovich:
1 Year, $850,000 AAV, Philadelphia Flyers
Former Canucks Forward Danila Klimovich Signs With The FlyersDanila Klimovich is headed to the Philadelphia Flyers. Teddy Blueger:
2 Years, $2.5 million AAV, Toronto Maple Leafs
Former Canucks Forward Teddy Blueger Signs With The LeafsFormer Canucks forward Teddy Blueger is now a member of the Toronto Maple LeafsCurtis Douglas:
2 Years, $1.25 million AAV, Seattle Kraken
Former Canucks Forward Curtis Douglas Signs Two-Year Deal With Seattle KrakenEx-Canucks forward Curtis Douglas is now a member of the Seattle Kraken. Jiří Patera:
1 Year, $850,000 AAV, Boston Bruins
Chase Stillman:
1 Year, $850,000 AAV, Detroit Red Wings
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Blues Reportedly Among Several Teams Interested In Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin
The St. Louis Blues are looking to add young but established players this off-season, highlighted by the additions of Connor McMichael and Mason MacTavish.
Now, a recent report indicates that the Blues are trying to do so again, this time with Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
Nikishin is a 24-year-old left-handed defenseman who just completed his rookie season with the Hurricanes, winning the Stanley Cup. In the regular season, Nikishin posted 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games while averaging 18:11 of ice time.
In the playoffs, Nikishin’s role diminished, and he played in 17 of 19 games. However, he was on the receiving end of a heavy hit in the first round against the Ottawa Senators, recording just one assist and averaging just 14:50.
Despite his role diminishing, Nikishin remains a very solid two-way defenseman who can play in any situation. In his time in the KHL and briefly on the Hurricanes’ second power play unit, Nikishin demonstrated the ability to quarterback a power play. He has a heavy shot, but also possesses the vision to distribute the puck from the blueline.
On the defensive side, Nikishin boasts a 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame and uses his long reach to knock pucks off his opponents’ sticks. Physically, Nikishin doesn’t fear getting involved, as he threw 132 hits and blocked 94 shots.
NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest Buzz On Jason Robertson, Dylan Larkin And Alexander NikishinContract talks continue between the Stars and Jason Robertson, the Red Wings set a high asking price for the Wild for Dylan Larkin, and the Rangers were interested in Alexander Nikishin.In the regular season, Nikishin posted a Corsi For percentage of 58.39 percent, an expected goals percentage of 55.56 percent, and a high-danger for percentage of 53.8 percent at 5-on-5 according to naturalstattrick.com.
Adding Nikishin to the lineup would give the Blues four left-handed defensemen, as he would join Philip Broberg, Cam Fowler, and Theo Lindstein.
The Hurricanes have placed a high price tag on Nikishin, and recently, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that teams interested in Nikishin will have to take Jesperi Kotkaniemi as well.
Nikishin is currently a restricted free agent but is ineligible to receive an offer sheet. If the Blues are serious about a trade, the only path is through a trade.
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YouTube Gold: Cameron Boozer’s NBA Summer League Debut Is Drawing Raves
Cameron Boozer made his NBA Summer League debut on Saturday against Oklahoma City, and it’s safe to say he left an impression.
Boozer played 24 minutes, and scored 15 points, pulled down 4 rebounds, and also passed out 4 assists.
It was a successful debut in general, obviously, but stats don’t tell the whole story.
As we saw at Duke, one of Boozer’s best talents is that he makes his teammates better. You could probably cobble together a way to measure that from analytics, but eyeballing the game?
You know it when you see it.
What no one really thought about though is that in the NBA, Boozer has a bigger canvas to work with.
In the NBA, the lane is 16 feet, as opposed to 12 in college, and the three-point line is about 1 foot and 7 1/4 inches further back.
Both of these factors are going to work in Boozer’s favor, as it will spread the court. For that matter, so will the 24 second clock.
We got a hint Saturday when Boozer worked the court for passes, tip-ins, and threes. It’s nothing new to Duke fans, as we said, but the way the NBA court is laid out is going to really work to his advantage.
It’s going to be really interesting to see how things work out for him going forward. One thing that’s possible soon is that Memphis may decide they’ve seen enough and shut him down early like Dallas did last July with Cooper Flagg, pulling him from Summer League play after just two games.
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LeBron might return to the Cavs. Which Browns reunion do you want to see by 2027?
This is a Cleveland Browns site, as the somewhat inside joke in the comments will remind us. If we are being honest, we are also a site full of sports fans who like a lot of different things. Whether that is the World Cup and Olympics every four years, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Guardians, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Crew, The Ohio State Buckeyes, or one of the many other colleges in the state, Ohio is full of sports.
Last month, we asked a blog full of Browns fans if they wanted LeBron James to return to the Cavaliers. Overwhelmingly, the answer was no.
With July 4th in the rearview mirror, it seems that James might indeed return to Northeast Ohio. According to reporting and a few sources I still have around the Cavs and LeBron (I covered the team for a while, including during the 2016 NBA championship), we could hear leaks that James will be signing with his home state team on a contract that could last two seasons (one year plus a player option).
As a Browns site, that means we have to ask the question about what reunion fans would want to see on Cleveland’s football team this year or next. There are a myriad of former Browns players around the league, but few have the type of cache to be worthy of being included here.
Looking at active players, not which former Cleveland great would you want to teleport onto this team from their prime, just three came to mind:
RB Nick Chubb
One of the best to do it, Chubb is a free agent after spending last season with the Houston Texans. Chubb had 122 carries last season for just over 500 yards and three touchdowns. Major injuries have significantly impacted Chubb’s explosiveness, as his yards per carry number fell from over five yards a carry in his first six seasons to 3.3 and 4.1 the last two.
Chubb could sign as Cleveland’s third-down back and provide Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson a veteran mentor in 2026, perhaps his final season. The veteran back could also wait to see if a contender has an injury that leads to a phone call.
QB Baker Mayfield
As noted in the piece linked above, Mayfield is set to hit free agency after the end of this season and has been unable to come to terms on an extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While Browns fans will probably argue about how good Mayfield actually is, something the Bucs might be doing internally as well, he’s clearly better than the quarterback play Cleveland saw last year and is expecting in 2026. Mayfield is somewhere between ‘better than terrible’ and Top 10 as a quarterback.
Should the Browns make a play to bring him back in ‘27 because he’s significantly better than what they have and more certain than anyone they can draft, or should they continue to shoot for a Top 10-level quarterback? Mayfield may not want to return, but Kevin Stefanski’s departure might help.
TE David Njoku
Focused on players that Cleveland fans have loved in the past (which excluded Odell Beckham Jr.), Njoku fills out the list. The former first-round pick signed with the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason after saying goodbye to Browns fans and the city. Njoku’s production never lived up to his physical gifts or contract, but he gave a lot of effort and endeared himself to the fans during his time in Cleveland.
Turning 30 years old in early July, Njoku could have a number of seasons left in the league. While it may only be in a backup role, a return to help a young, growing team could make sense for the infection Chief.
Which, if any, of the three do you want to return? Which do you think is most realistic?
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Canadiens Players Are Not Taking It Easy
It may be summertime, but the Montreal Canadiens’ top players have already started gearing up for next season. Ivan Demidov now has the keys to the Canadiens’ CN Sports Complex in Brossard and skates multiple times a day; he has taken Alexander Zharovsky under his wing and brings him along, too, until the youngster must head back to Russia for the KHL season, which starts much earlier than the NHL's. When Demidov’s on his way out, he stops to sign autographs for fans despite the unbearable heat outside.
Lane Hutson, who was in town for the Habs’ development camp, joined his road roommate on the ice in Brossard as both worked intensely with Adam Nicholas ahead of the prospects' ice time. After that, he stuck around to watch the organization’s future on the ice and to give the rookies a presentation.
Even the bests of the bests cam improve their skating working with Adam Nicholas #GoHabsGo@thehockeynews#THNpic.twitter.com/0icvflnphJ
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) July 2, 2026
On The Canadiens’ Excellent Relationship With Dan Milstein and Gold Star Agency
Shots Fired In The NHL, Canadiens And Hughes Safe In Their Culture-Built Bunker
Is There A Market For Canadiens’ Montembeault?
Alex Carrier, Jake Evans, and Zach Bolduc all signed up to play in the three-on-three Living Sisu hockey league starting July 7th at Hockey Etcetera.
Players do not have to be in Montreal to work out, though. This week, pictures of Juraj Slafkovsky training in his native Slovakia alongside Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak surfaced on Instagram.
Juraj Slafkovsky training with Erik Cernak in Slovakia 🇸🇰 pic.twitter.com/ijqhtlxZCB
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) July 3, 2026
Meanwhile, newly re-signed goaltender Jakub Dobes spoke to the media live from his summer home in St. Louis after signing his new contract and said he would keep training there for three to four weeks before moving back to Montreal to continue preparing for the season.
Watching them all go this summer, it feels like the NHL season is right around the corner. It’s not that far away since the NHL has decided to start earlier this time around, having a condensed preseason and a longer 84-game regular season. The preseason games will be played from September 19 to 26. Last season, the Canadiens held their golf tournament on September 15 and their preseason games from September 22 to October 4th. We can therefore expect the season to start at the end of September or the start of October at the latest.
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Kentucky Wildcats News: Former Wildcats in the NBA Summer League
Several former Kentucky Wildcats will be suiting up in the NBA Summer League.
More than a dozen former Wildcats will look to make a name for themselves on the summer league circuit in hopes of earning an NBA contract.
Looking at some former players who are grinding it out in the summer circuit, recently-drafted Otega Oweh is playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer league. Playing in the Salt Lake City league, Oweh had a nice sequence showing his two-way ability.
Former Kentucky Wildcat Jacob Toppin is also playing in the Salt Lake City league with the Atlanta Hawks.
In the California Classic, we’ve seen Brandon Boston Jr. playing with the Milwaukee Bucks and Adou Thiero playing with the Los Angeles Lakers. Boston, in particular, had a strong showing for the Bucks, including this dunk.
The Las Vegas Summer League gets underway beginning on Thursday, July 9 and includes all 30 NBA teams.
Here’s a look at some other former Kentucky players we should expect to see in Vegas.
Amari Williams (Boston Celtics), Jaxson Robinson (Cleveland Cavaliers), Bryce Hopkins (Denver Nuggets), Ugonna Onyenso (Detroit Pistons), Keion Brooks (Indiana Pacers), Lance Ware (New York Knicks), TyTy Washington (Orlando Magic), Koby Brea and Devin Askew (Phoenix Suns), and Andrew Carr (Portland Trailblazers).
Jayden Quaintance, who was recently drafted in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs, is technically on San Antonio’s summer league roster, but it has been announced that he will not be playing in the summer league due to the knee injury.
The Las Vegas Summer League games will be shown on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and Prime Video.
Tweet of the Day
There are some good options here, but I’m leaning Table 2. How about you?
Headlines
Braydon Hawthorne’s wait is over – Cats Pause
How much of an impact will Hawthorne make for the Wildcats this season?
Q&A with Zoom Diallo – Vaughts Views
Gotta love how much he emphasizes leadership.
Mark Pope sees positives and negatives of NCAA’s 5-for-5 rule – KSR
We’ll see what kind of impact the new rule has.
Jamal Murray, Anthony Davis, and Tyler Herro among top trade targets – Bleacher Report
Will one of these former Cats soon be on the move?
Three key players for USMNT to beat Belgium – SI
Christian Pulisic needs to step up.
Will LeBron return to Cleveland? – Bleacher Report
It’s gaining some steam in league circles.
MLB All-Star rosters announced – Yahoo
The Dodgers have the most starters.
Patrick Ewing joining Wizards as assistant coach – ESPN
Ewing will be an assistant for a promising Wizards team.
Brandon McCoy Jr. staying at Michigan – ESPN
Big news for Michigan.
Joey Chestnut wins hot dog eating contest for 18th time – CBS Sports
Joey Chestnut continues to dominate the competition.
Knicks GOAT Patrick Ewing joins Wizards coaching staff
Patrick Ewing is leaving the New York Knicks once again… this time to return to the sideline with the Washington Wizards.
SNY’s Ian Begley first reported that Ewing was in talks with Washington to join Brian Keefe’s coaching staff. ESPN’s Shams Charania later confirmed that Ewing had agreed to become a Wizards assistant coach.
As Charania wrote in another of his never-not-entertaining stories, Washington values Ewing’s “presence and legendary stature,” as well as his “ability to communicate” with veteran stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young and the AJ Dybantsa-led group of neophyte Wiz.
For Knicks fans, the move comes shortly after Ewing wrapped up his second season back with the franchise as an advisor and basketball ambassador. Ewing has been around the team during the past two years, including joining them both at home and on the road during their championship run and later at the Canyon of Heroes for the title parade, with the Knicks giving one of their GOATs what he always deserved.
When the Knicks announced his return in October 2024, Ewing made clear what the organization still meant to him.
“As I said the day my number 33 jersey lifted into the rafters at MSG, I will always be a Knick, and I will always be a New Yorker,” Ewing said then.
New York infamously drafted Ewing No. 1 overall in the 1985 NBA Draft after his Georgetown career, and three decades later, he remains the Knicks’ all-time leader in games played (1,039), points (23,665), rebounds (10,759), field goals made (9,260), steals (1,061), and blocks (2,758) in a full sweep of the classic statline.
Back to the actual news, the Wizards’ job will bring Ewing back to another familiar place for the Big Fella, as that’s where his NBA coaching career began. Washington hired Ewing shortly after he retired from the NBA in 2001, with Pat becoming an assistant for Michael Jordan of all people during the 2002-03 season before later working with the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets.
Steve Clifford is also joining Washington as a coaching advisor, according to ESPN. Clifford coached alongside Ewing in Orlando from 2007-12, then hired him to his staff in Charlotte from 2013-17.
Ewing later returned to Georgetown as head coach from 2017-23, compiling a 75-109 record and leading the Hoyas to the 2021 NCAA Tournament after winning the Big East Tournament.
And now, after watching the Knicks finally win the goddam title, you bet Ewing has also earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants. Shout-out, Big Pat!
Yankees news: Fried takes next step with live batting practice
MLB.com | Bill Ladson: The Yankees’ rotation took a hit the other day with Carlos Rodón hitting the IL, but they got some good news yesterday. Max Fried, on the IL since the middle of May with a bone bruise, is ready to start facing live batters. He threw a bullpen session on Friday, and after getting the go-ahead that everything felt good will throw live batting practice today with a pitch limit of about 35 pitches. He’s still a while away from returning to the big league team, with roughly a month to go in his rehab, but the team is excited with the form he’s displayed and Fried has even taken the time off to work on his mechanics as he was never able to settle in this year despite good overall stats.
NY Daily News | Gary Phillips: The All-Star rosters for the American League were announced and the Yankees will have four representatives locked in. Aaron Judge earned his way onto the starting lineup via fan vote despite missing the last month with his rib injury, and though he’ll obviously miss out on playing in the festivities this will be his eighth time being honored as an All-Star. Meanwhile, his fellow stars in the lineup Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger will earn their way into the Midsummer Classic, and Cam Schlittler will join them from the pitching staff with a shot at starting the game outright.
MLB.com | Marino Panchano: Jasson Domínguez didn’t make the Opening Day lineup for the Yankees, but he always figured to be in their plans. A freak injury interrupted his return at the start of May, but now the runway is wide open for him to make his mark as the team is without Aaron Judge for the foreseeable future. Domínguez will start alongside Bellinger and Trent Grisham as the trio in the outfield with Spencer Jones demoted, and they’ll need him to show that the improvements he made down in Triple-A while he waited for his shot weren’t marginal — the team is desperate for offense, and a Martian sighting could do wonders to kickstart the lineup.
NY Daily News | Bill Maddon: The June Swoon has fully hit, and with it the annual clamoring for Aaron Boone’s firing have commenced. It would be a major surprise for the Yankees to do this, especially with no particular clubhouse favorite to succeed him, but the fact of the matter is that the Yankees have gone into a major slide and don’t have any cavalry coming to support them for at least another month or two without Brian Cashman totally revamping this team via trades. If the improvements have to come from within, it’ll also have to come on quick as the Rays have charged ahead into the lead in the AL East with reinforcements of their own coming with one of their top prospects pushing for a major league promotion.
NY Post | Steve Serby: Jose Caballero is the guy that you love when he’s on your team and you hate when he’s on the other team, and he knows that fully well. The utility player sat down for a lengthy Q&A with Serby and dished plenty of details on how he fights for every at-bat and takes a winning mentality onto the field, as well as breakdowns of several of his Instragram quotes.
Sacramento Kings reshape rebuild with Darius Acuff Jr. and key draft moves
SACRAMENTO, CA ― The future looks bright for the Sacramento Kings.
Darius Acuff Jr. shined in his first summer league game at the California Classic, a 79-76 win against the Brooklyn Nets at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, on July 4.
Acuff had a rough start to the game, going 1-for-8, but he continued to attack downhill. He finished the game going 9-for-29 and scored 25 points and four assists, including the game-winning assist to second-year guard Nique Clifford who knocked down a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left in the game.
"I wasn't nervous," Acuff told USA TODAY Sports. "I wouldn't lie, I'll tell you if I was nervous. But I actually wasn't. I thought I was gonna be nervous. I actually wasn't nervous, I was hyped to play. I got some great sleep. Woke up and a good breakfast. I thought the start I had wasn't going to happen but you know it happens to the best of us. Nah. I wasn't nervous. I was more excited to play with those guys, get on the court and play a game again, that was the best part, for sure."
Something is cooking in Sacramento. It's not just Acuff, it's the entire 2026 class including Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp.
Although Karaban won't play in the California Classic after suffering an ankle sprain during a July 2 practice, Sharp showed why he was one of the steals of the draft.
With the No. 45 pick of the second round, the Kings picked Sharp, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Houston who was slept on. But not by Sacramento, who were searching for a two-way guard. They found him.
Sharp scored 11 points and recorded two steals and a block, as he helped to level the Kings who were down early in their summer league game against the Nets.
"I thought he was the guy who set the tone defensively," Kings summer league coach Chris Darnell said. "His ability to take a team out of their offense, just with his ability to guard the ball. He's in his gaps, he's tough, he's physical, he's smart. He does everything you want as a coach on that end of the floor. He just makes winning plays."
He added: "On the offensive end, we as a team didn't shoot the ball well today, but he's aggressive playing close outs and I love that about him. Whether if it's shot or drive, he's gonna make the read. There's no hesitation, there's no pause. So just that .5 basketball decision-making skill of his, I think is gonna make him a great player in this league when, if he's playing off-ball with Darius. Darius is going to command so much attention that he gets to play the close out game, he's going to be tough to guard in those situations."
From day one, Sharp has been committed to a winning culture.
"It starts with winning, that's the first goal," Sharp told USA TODAY Sports in a June 29 interview. "Just seeing, stepping into my role. Getting used to playing with these guys, playing true to my game and getting the chemistry started."
That's the attitude of all their rookies. The energy is different around them. They're embracing the rebuild. They know it starts with them.
"Winning is always number one for me," Karaban told USA TODAY Sports on June 29. "Just want to go out there and win the California Classic, win in Vegas, get the team chemistry going out there with the different players and just try to identify what I can do to help make an impact on this Kings team."
Put stock in them early. That's not an overreaction. Look at their recent draft moves. Obviously, there's the 2025 draft class that sparked the rebuild with Clifford, Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell.
Both Clifford and Cardwell, who are in their second season in Sacramento, are on the roster for the California Classic summer league, getting in their reps, while learning tendencies of their new teammates.
Clifford, who hit the go-ahead 3-pointer, scored 16 points on 50% field goal shooting. Cardwell had eight points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks, while providing his usual, crowd-hyping antics.
"I didn't really have a choice," said a laughing, Clifford who told USA TODAY Sports why he's playing in the California Classic. "I didn't really have much say so."
On a more serious note, Clifford noted the importance to build his game and connect with new teammates.
"For me, I'm definitely taking advantage of it. It's good for me to get back on the court, playing with the new guys that I'm going to be playing with all season long and just start to build that chemistry, like I talked about. So, I'm using it to my advantage. For me, I love to play and compete. So it's helping me elevate my game and work on things that I can be better at going into the season. So it's exciting. I just love to compete."
Keep an eye out for the Kings and what's brewing in California's capital. The California Classic continues July 5 and 6 at Golden 1 Center for the Kings as they face the Golden State Warriors blue team and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Sacramento Kings reshape rebuild with Darius Acuff Jr. and key draft moves
Diamondbacks 4, Milwaukee 3: A Win for AMERICA!
On paper, I think this was the toughest of this weekend’s matchups against the Milwaukee Brewers, who came into yesterday with the second best record in the Major Leagues. Brandon Woodruff took the mound for the Brew Crew (2-1, 2.59 ERA before today) while Merrill Kelly, who has not been great this year, was going for us. His ERA coming into tonight was an unappealing 5.84, he was carrying 5-8 record, and for the first time in his career he had lost five consecutive starts. So, yeah. Ulp, basically.
Things didn’t start off terrifically for Merrill tonight, either, as Brice Turang lined a double down the left field line to lead off the top of the first. He advanced to third on a Christian Yelich groundout to first, so again, ulp. No worries, though, as it turned out, as Kelly buckled down and struck out the next two batters to end the inning with Turang stranded at third.
In the bottom of the frame, it looked like Woodruff was going to make short work of us, as Ketel Marte grounded out to first on the third pitch he saw, and Geraldo Perdomo struck out on three pitches. Corbin Carroll, thankfully, put up a much more patient at bat, working a six-pitch walk. Gabriel Moreno, tonight’s designated hitter, had himself a very patient at bat to follow, and sent the seventh pitch he saw down Gabi Lane into right field for a two-out single. That brought Adrian Del Castillo, who was handling the catching duties tonight, to the plate, and while he swung at the first pitch he saw, he did not miss it:
So that was fun, putting up a crooked number and taking a multi-run lead in the first inning of a ballgame! 3-0 DBACKS
And you’re going to have to savor that video highlight for awhile, because after the first inning, the Diamondbacks basically folded up their tents and absconded into the night. We didn’t even manage another baserunner until the bottom of the eighth, which not unreasonably led a lot of folks in the Gameday Thread to start expressing intense interest in seeing the “Deserve-to-Win-O-Meter” after the game, because while we had three runs, we only had two hits through seven innings. Meanwhile, the Brewers continued to do Brewers things and get hits and get into scoring position and pretty much constantly threaten.
To his credit, Merrill Kelly held the line, for the most part. He retired Milwaukee in order in the top of the second for his only clean inning of the game, and then wriggled off the hook in the third (runners on second and third with one out) and the fourth (bases loaded with two outs) to put up zeroes and keep the shutout in play. That ended in the top of the fifth, as Brice Turang led off the inning with another double, and was driven in by a Christian Yelich moonshot into the pool area in right. He then walked a batter, and allowed another double to put Brewers on second and third again, but managed to record the last two outs with no further damage done. 3-2 DBACKS
After that, our bullpen got to work, and once again, our bullpen did a bang-up job. Jonathan Loaisiga pitched a scoreless sixth, Brandyn Garcia pitched a scoreless seventh, and Juan Morillo pitched a scoreless top of the eighth, setting up a save situation for Paul Sewald in the ninth. Bear in mind that all three of those relievers had worked last night, as had Sewald, so I for one was feeling a bit nervous.
Never mind that, though, as the Diamondbacks offense slunk back out of the desert night in the bottom of the eighth to give us a little bit of insurance. Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., who had an off-day today, pinch hit for Max Kepler to lead things off, and he grounded a single into shallow left. Jorge Barrosa pinch ran for Lourdes, and Ildemaro Vargas came to the plate and doubled down the left field line. Lourdes would not have been able to score from first on that, but for Barrosa it was no problem, and all three of them wound up being big damn heroes.
Never mind that the lineup turned over and the top of the lineup was able to do absolutely nothing further. 4-2 DBACKS
So it was Sewald for the top of the ninth, as expected, and he quickly struck out both Brice Turang and Christian Yelich. It turned out he needed the extra insurance, though, as he surrendered a solo shot to Jackson Chourio that leaked over the wall in left center to bring Milwaukee to within a run. Happily, however, he induced a William Contreras groundout to short to put this one in the books for the good guys! 4-3 DBACKS
Win Probability, courtesy of FanGraphs
Fireworks: Adrian Del Castillo (3 AB, 1 H, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 1 K, +21% WPA)
Apple Pie: Juan Morillo (1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K, +12% WPA), Brandyn Garcia (1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, +10% WPA)
We had a charmingly lively Gameday Thread tonight, especially for a Saturday, with 272 comments at time of writing. A lot of comments went Sedona Red, too, which is always nice to see. Tonight’s Comment of the Game might not have had the most recs, but it came close, so I’m giving this one to Smurf1000 for this late offering that I think perfectly captures the image of what you want a Fourth of July Diamondbacks game day experience to be:
Hear, hear!
So stop by and join us tomorrow as we go for the series win (!!!) against Milwaukee. Hologram Eddie is going for us, while Brandon Sproat takes the mound for the Brewers. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00pm AZ time, but I will warn you that it might prove difficult to watch, as it is a “Peacock Plus” exclusive.
See, NBC/Peacock decided to throw a “Star-Spangled Sunday” tomorrow, and they apparently decided that the best way to help America and the world celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday was to buy up the broadcast rights for every single MLB game being played tomorrow, and to gate all of them except the Mets @ Braves (9am AZ time) and Padres @ Dodgers (4pm AZ time) behind the Peacock Premium paywall. Lovely, huh? It really makes one proud to be an American. Gee.
Anyway. Listen to it on the radio, watch the MLB Game Day for live updates, stop by tomorrow and keep returning guest recapper LeahAZFan company in the Gameday Thread.
Wow. It was really pleasant to recap a Saturday night win. Those have been few and far between this season. As always, thanks so much for reading, and as always, go Diamondbacks!