Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani plays catch as he continues his comeback from elbow surgery

CHICAGO — Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani played catch on Tuesday in a continuation of his throwing program in his comeback from elbow surgery.

Ohtani rejoined the Dodgers on Sunday after his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, gave birth to the couple's first child in Southern California. The two-way star went 0 for 3 with a walk in the Dodgers’ 1-0 win at Texas.

Following an off day, the 30-year-old Ohtani threw in the outfield at Wrigley Field before the opener of a two-game set against the Chicago Cubs. He is expected to have a light bullpen session on Wednesday and a “full-blown bullpen” on Saturday, manager Dave Roberts said.

“I still don't know what the next step is,” Roberts said, “and I think once he starts facing hitters, then it'll start to become more pronounced. But right now he's still in the mode of just throwing bullpens, and he still hasn't thrown sliders yet either.”

Ohtani hasn't pitched in a major league game since Aug. 23, 2023, for the Los Angeles Angels. He is recovering from right elbow surgery on Sept. 19, 2023. He paused his pitching work after a mound session on Feb. 25 to prepare for opening day as a hitter.

The reigning NL MVP, who signed a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023, is batting .277 with six homers and eight RBIs going into the series at Chicago.

Left-hander Blake Snell also played catch on Tuesday, and Roberts said it went well. Snell is on the 15-day injured list because of shoulder inflammation.

Tyler Glasnow remains on track to start Sunday at home against Pittsburgh. The 31-year-old right-hander left Sunday's win against the Rangers because of lower leg cramps.

“I haven't seen Glas, but from the training staff, they said that there is no more cramping,” Roberts said. “As we traveled here to Chicago he was fine.”

Will Warren's bounce-back start spoiled by messy sixth inning in Yankees' 3-2 loss to Guardians

A strong bounce-back performance from Will Warren was spoiled by a messy sixth inning as the Yankees fell to the Cleveland Guardians, 3-2, at Progressive Field on Tuesday.

Here are the takeaways...

-- It didn't take long for Ben Rice to prove that his bruised left elbow was healed. The Yankees' slugger, making his first start since Saturday, took the first pitch thrown by Guardians starter Tanner Bibee deep over the tall left-center field wall for a leadoff home run. The 377-foot blast was Rice's sixth of the season, which is tied for 14th in the majors.

-- Considering that Will Warren recorded only five outs in his previous start, the bar for a bounce-back outing was set relatively low. But the rookie right-hander exceeded expectations against a Cleveland lineup featuring nine -- yes, nine -- lefties. With an aggressive attack plan, Warren induced grounders and whiffs, holding the Guardians to a single hit through five innings of work while striking out five.

-- Jazz Chisholm Jr. endured some new frustrations at the plate, as he fouled a ball off his leg in two separate at-bats and needed some time to collect himself. But the Yankees' second baseman overcame the pain, lifting a sacrifice fly to center in the sixth inning to increase their lead to 2-0. The two-run cushion wasn't big enough, however.

-- Warren immediately fell into trouble in the sixth, allowing the first two batters to reach on singles. The mistake pitches forced his exit, and with Mark Leiter Jr. called upon to clean up the mess, Cleveland scored three runs on a passed ball, a double, and an infield single to take the lead. The first two runs were ultimately charged to Warren, who threw 82 pitches across five-plus and lowered his ERA to 4.79.

-- Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis entered the eighth with a spotless 0.00 ERA through 11 appearances, and the Yankees nearly rendered him human with a rally sparked by a leadoff single and stolen base from Aaron Judge. But the threat was ultimately neutralized by the right-handed Gaddis, who sandwiched a pitch-violation walk between a flyout and a pair of strikeouts.

-- For a second straight night, Cleveland chose set-up man Cade Smith over star closer Emmanuel Clase for the save in the ninth. The bold move paid off yet again, as the Yankees went down in order on just four pitches. New York's final 16 batters generated only one hit, and they left seven total runners on.

Game MVP: Aaron Judge

The Yankees' captain remained in a league of his own, extending his on-base streak to 20 games with a perfect 4-for-4 night. It was the ninth multi-hit game of the season for Judge, who now owns a stellar .411 average and 1.231 OPS (best in MLB). He also flaunted his glove work and range in the fifth, robbing Brayan Rocchio of extra bases with a diving catch in right.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees (14-10) will play the third and final game of their series in Cleveland on Wednesday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m.

Carlos Rodón (2-3, 4.34 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite Luis Ortiz (2-2, 5.48 ERA).

Generals Advance To Eastern Conference Finals

Luca Marrelli wearing the 'A' for Oshawa this season [Tim Cornett/OHL Images].

The Oshawa Generals defeated the Brantford Bulldogs 4-1 in game six to advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the second consecutive year.  

Brantford took the opening two games of the series, scoring a total of 13 goals across the two games. Oshawa took over on home ice and built up momentum as they won the next four games to take the series. 

The lack of Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis starting in game four certainly played a role in the outcome of the series. There are very few teams that could recover after scoring a 70-plus goal scorer. 

Lardis was injured late in game three on a hit delivered by Nashville Predators prospect Andrew Gibson. The big defender, who represented Canada at the World Junior Championship this winter, received a two-game suspension for the hit. 

Without Lardis, the Brantford offense felt lost at times during the series. After game two, the Bulldogs never scored more than two goals in a game. Credit for shutting down the potent Brantford offense should go to the Oshawa defense and Jacob Oster, who looked fantastic between the pipes for Oshawa throughout the series.

Rangers' Head Coach Named OHL Coach Of The YearRangers' Head Coach Named OHL Coach Of The YearYesterday, the OHL announced that Kitchener Rangers' Head Coach Jussi Ahokas is the winner of the Matt Leyden Trophy, which is presented to the OHL Coach of the Year as voted by General Managers across the OHL.

The win on the road in game five gave the Generals the opportunity to finish the second-round series on home ice. They didn't take the opportunity for granted, outshooting the Bulldogs 15-4 in the opening period.

Luca Marrelli's thunderous one-timer on the power play brought Oshawa fans to their feet early in the game. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect fed Winnipeg Jets prospect Colby Barlow for a tap-in to make it 2-0 before the end of the first. 

Knights Sweep Otters To Advance To Western Conference FinalsKnights Sweep Otters To Advance To Western Conference FinalsThe seemingly unstoppable London Knights defeated the Erie Otters in overtime to sweep their second-round series and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

The Bulldogs outshot the Generals 18-14 for the rest of the game, however, the damage was already done. Owen Griffin and Marek Vanacker exchanged goals that came thirty seconds apart early in the second period to make the score 3-1 in favour of Oshawa. 

Griffin, who is one of the top scorers for Oshawa in the postseason, scored a second goal in the dying moments of the series to seal the victory for Oshawa. He's eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, and his performance in the playoffs is certainly raising his draft stock.

The Generals return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year. Last season, they made it to the Finals before losing to the London Knights. This year, Oshawa has a deeper and more experienced roster than they did the last time they were in this position. 

They will await the victor of game seven between Barrie and Kitchener. 


Yankees' DJ LeMahieu hits home run in first rehab game with Double-A Somerset

DJ LeMahieu made his first rehab start on Tuesday with Double-A Somerset, and the Yankees' veteran infielder had himself a game.

Batting second, LeMahieu was a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run, finishing a triple short of the cycle. He also played five innings at second base.

In his first at-bat, LeMahieu lined a double to right field, driving in the game's first run. He then came up in the second with two outs, and down 1-2 in the count, he launched a home run over the right-center field wall off Evan Shawver. He then wrapped up his night with a single in the fourth that deflected off pitcher Alex Barger.

LeMahieu started the season on the IL with a strained left calf after just two at-bats in spring training. The 36-year-old was in the midst of a third-base competition with Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas. The injury allowed Cabrera and Peraza to start the season on the Yankees' roster.

If LeMahieu remains healthy and gets enough at-bats in the minors, the Yankees can potentially call him up before May.

The former batting champion will look to bounce back from a very down 2024 season. In just 67 games, he batted .204 with a .269 OBP and .527 OPS. He launched just two home runs, drove in 26 runners and collected only five doubles.

What Should New Kraken GM Botterill Do To Avoid A Repeat Of His Results In Buffalo?

The Buffalo Sabres and Seattle Kraken hop on the ice before a Jan. 20 game. (Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images)

The Seattle Kraken hope a former Buffalo Sabres GM will help them reach perennial playoff status.

This week, the Kraken fired coach Dan Bylsma, promoted executive Ron Francis to president of hockey operations and promoted Jason Botterill to GM. 

The Kraken finished with the NHL’s sixth-worst record at 35-41-6, placing them seventh in the relatively weak Pacific Division – and a drop from sixth place in the Pacific in the 2023-24 campaign. That’s not nearly good enough for a Seattle team that wants to emulate the Vegas Golden Knights as a young franchise that can have great Stanley Cup playoff success right away.

For one thing, with Francis now promoted upward – in the role of a Brendan Shanahan in Toronto, a Jim Rutherford in Vancouver and a Joe Sakic in Colorado – Francis will have more years to stick the landing as an overseer of Botterill and his incoming management group. 

But Botterill has massive pressure on him and a slew of areas to address in his second chance at general managing an NHL club. He has some successes to replicate and mistakes to avoid from his time as the Sabres’ GM from 2017 to 2020.

Certainly, having more success in the NHL draft will be a priority, which Botterill did well at in Buffalo. He did have an easy pick when he landed star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first overall in 2018, but Botterill's draft team also selected centers Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson. 

The Kraken need more from their first-ever draft pick, Matty Beniers, and another step up from Shane Wright. But Botterill must fill the organization’s cupboard with prospects they can turn into reliable NHLers.

They’re going to get a top-10 draft pick this summer. While they can’t necessarily expect the player they select with that pick to play in the NHL immediately, they should add an asset that will be a core component of the team for many years to come.

NHL Sour Rankings: What Lies Ahead For Every Non-Playoff TeamNHL Sour Rankings: What Lies Ahead For Every Non-Playoff TeamThe NHL is so often focused, for good reason, on the races at the top of the standings, but the NHL Sour Rankings looks at the bottom. 

Botterill should also buy out the contract of veteran goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who currently has two seasons remaining on a contract worth $5.9 million annually

The 33-year-old Grubauer put up career-worst totals in goals-against average (3.49) and save percentage (.875) last season, and with veteran Joey Daccord the clear No. 1 option in net, Grubauer can’t be kept around at that cap hit. 

Buying out Grubauer will free about $3.92 million next season and $2.82 million in 2026-27, while the $1.68-million buyout cost in 2027-28 and ’28-29 is minimal when the salary cap rises significantly.

That brings us to the Kraken’s huge amount of cap space to use to improve the roster. As it stands, Seattle has $21.75 million in cap space next season with 14 active players under contract. With a Grubauer buyout, that cap space would rise to $25.66 million. That means the Kraken can be major players on the free-agent market while having five first-round picks over the next three seasons to set up the team for long-term success.

Botterill has to make more tough decisions – including who will be the next coach of the team – to push the Kraken back into the playoff mix. They have two pending UFAs, and RFAs Kaapo Kakko, Tye Kartye and Ryker Evans need new deals as well. 

Kraken Retaining Jessica Campbell Shows Faith In Early Positive SignsKraken Retaining Jessica Campbell Shows Faith In Early Positive SignsThe Seattle Kraken parted ways with Dan Bylsma after just one season as the head coach, and while many thought Jessica Campbell may have followed, the organization is rewarding her with another season after some early positive returns.

Not long ago, Seattle fans were expecting to make the playoffs consistently, but Sabres fans have been waiting to get back into the post-season for seven times the length of Seattle’s two-year drought. Botterill is one of four men to hold the Sabres’ GM role since their last playoff appearance in 2011, and Buffalo’s best finish under him was 25th in the NHL. With Vegas joining the league in 2017-18, the Sabres actually became the first team in NHL history to finish 31st under Botterill.

Kraken fans will obviously hope Botterill won’t have the same results in Seattle, but the organization trusts him to make the most of this huge opportunity. He has a mandate to remove the stench of regular-season failure as they chart a course that will be more reliably successful.

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Sabres' Salary Cap Space Likely To Be Spent Quickly This Summer

Tanner Pearson (left); Bowen Byram (right) -- ( Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Sports)

The Buffalo Sabres aren't a big-market team, but a look at the projected amount of salary cap space next season -- via the indispensable Puck Pedia -- has the Sabres smack-dab in the middle of the league's teams, with approximately $21.43-million in cap space for the 2025-26 campaign. And if you break down Buffalo's players who are going to be in need of new contracts, you'll see that the Sabres will be spending much, if not all of their cap space to stay competitive.

For one thing, the Sabres have seven restricted free agents, including defensemen Bowen Byram and Jacob Bernard-Docker, goalie Devon Levi, and forwards Ryan McLeod, Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka. Byram -- who made $3.85-million this past season -- and Peterka ($855,834) are going to get considerable raises, even with them both being under team control. As well, Levi and Quinn are long-term pieces of the puzzle in Buffalo, so Sabres GM Kevyn Adams will have to make them happy, perhaps with bridge contracts that keep their raises at a reasonable level.

Still, when you factor in all the variables here, you see that Buffalo's cap space is gong to dry up in a hurry. And although cap flexibility is a good thing, locking up your core talents is also a good thing. And the alternative -- trading away up-and-coming players just to keep your spending at an internally-decided-on level -- would incense Sabres fans who want Buffalo to spend to its limit. 

The other factor here, of course, is trades. Buffalo may choose to acquire talent via trades, and that will almost assuredly lead to the Sabres' cap space disapperaing rapidly. Buffalo may decide that they need experienced hands to get them into the playoffs next year, and that type of help won't come cheaply. Thus, Adams will have a balancing act to perform, keeping his core of young talent intact while also bringing in new faces to alter his team's chemistry.

All things considered, then, we're almost assuredly going to see Buffalo spend at or near the salary cap ceiling next season. We'll get an immediate sense of their spending intentions at the start of July, when unrestricted free agency begins. But trades will also take place relatively soon, and Adams will have to strike early to prevent other teams from swooping in and acquiring talent the Sabres have targeted.

Lamoriello's Cold-Blooded Legacy A Good Lesson For Rebuilding SabresLamoriello's Cold-Blooded Legacy A Good Lesson For Rebuilding SabresThe New York Islanders parted ways with GM and team president Lou Lamoriello Tuesday, perhaps putting an end to the 82-year-old icon's Hockey Hall-of-Fame career running NHL teams. But there's always something to learn from brilliant people, even when they're removed from power -- and Lamoriello's legacy could and should be a vital lesson for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams.

When you think of more than $21 million, you rightfully think that's a lot of money, and it certainly is. However, at a time when the salary cap ceiling is rising exponentially -- and remember, the cap ceiling is going to rise even further, to $104-million, in 2026-27 -- player salaries are going to expand to fill that space.

So while it's on Sabres brass to spend wisely, they're almost certainly going to have to loosen the purse strings and spend to the cap limit each and every season. The cost of doing business in the NHL is going to continue to rise, and that has to be reflected in Buffalo's spending habits.

Isaiah Evans confirms return to Duke

On the last day the transfer portal is open for players to enter, Duke found a creative way to confirm the return of one player for his sophomore season. Isaiah Evans will return to Duke. Evans’ return means the Blue Devils return a prolific scorer who’s in line for a larger role in the upcoming season.

Phillies lose series to Mets, cross fingers with Sanchez

Phillies lose series to Mets, cross fingers with Sanchez originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The Phillies lost a game and a series on Tuesday night. Now they’ll hope they haven’t lost much more.

Cristopher Sanchez exited after the second inning of a 5-1 Phillies loss with left forearm soreness. He’ll be reevaluated more in the coming days but this is obviously not a good development for the Phils, who are trying to get Aaron Nola right and don’t yet have Ranger Suarez in their rotation.

Sanchez saw a team doctor after leaving the game and went through movement drills in the training room.

“Right now, I feel normal,” he said. “I think it’s not going to be a thing we have to worry about. … The doc checked me out and I feel positive that we’re not gonna have to be worried about this.”

While that’s better than the alternative, Sanchez is not out of the woods yet. The Phillies have not yet determined whether he’ll go for an MRI but it’s a possibility. So is delaying his next start, which would be Tuesday at home against the Nationals.

“After talking to him, I’m not as concerned as when he came out,” catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “It’s a really scary spot on a pitcher but he seems to be doing all right and structurally seems to be in good shape.”

Sanchez threw a ton of pitches in his two innings — 31 in the first inning, 27 in the second. His sinker velocity was down and he didn’t have his best changeup after striking out 12 Giants in a dominant win last Thursday.

Realmuto could tell something was up in the bullpen before the game but thought it might be a finger issue Sanchez experienced against the Giants.

“In the bullpen, he was just a little more erratic than he usually is,” Realmuto said. “His fastball command wasn’t good at all, his pitches weren’t doing what they normally do.

“… What I was seeing in the bullpen kinda continued the first couple of innings. He just wasn’t himself.”

Mets starter Griffin Canning also labored early but both pitching staffs minimized damage to keep it a 2-1 game through six innings. This Phillies-Mets series has looked a lot like the 2024 NLDS — close contests broken open late by the Mets after the Phils failed time and again to pick up the one big hit needed to tie or take a lead.

The Phillies were 3-for-6 with men on base when Johan Rojas singled in Realmuto in the bottom of the second but went 1-for-13 from there. They stranded nine runners after leaving eight on base in Monday’s loss.

Once 8-2, the Phils are 13-11 and trail the Mets by four games in the NL East.

Juan Soto has made little impact on the series, going 0-for-8, but Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos continue to kill the Phillies. Vientos is 10-for-19 with three doubles and two homers in his last five games against the Phils. Lindor has been both a table-setter and run producer. It’s hard not to notice how much more of an impact he’s made in this head-to-head matchup than fellow shortstop Trea Turner, who has hit just .190 against the Mets in 24 games as a Phillie.

Manager Rob Thomson used five relievers to cover the third through eighth innings behind Sanchez. Joe Ross was most effective with three scoreless innings and three strikeouts. Ross hasn’t had a smooth start to his Phillies career but Tuesday was one of the major reasons why he was signed — to take down multiple innings if needed after a short start.

He and everyone else on the pitching staff will become more important if Sanchez is forced to miss time with the forearm injury. It could keep Taijuan Walker in the rotation and speed up Suarez’ return from a rehab assignment. Suarez (low back stiffness) has been sharp in three minor-league starts and threw 59 pitches over five scoreless innings Tuesday night for Lehigh Valley. The Phillies still intend to pitch Suarez one more time at Triple A on Sunday, Thomson said after Tuesday’s loss.

“Well, he’s one of the best pitchers in the National League,” Thomson said of Sanchez. “Other people would have to pick it up. But I’m not anticipating that yet.”

All that’s left in this series is to avoid a sweep. Zack Wheeler gives the Phillies their best chance to do so on Wednesday but even he needs offense. The Phillies have scored in just two of their last 20 innings.

“Just not getting the big hit enough,” Realmuto said. “We’re hitting into too many double plays, not getting enough hits with runners in scoring position. Especially against a team that pitches this well, we have to capitalize when we have runners out there.”

Islanders' Lou Lamoriello Had Nothing Left To Prove, But It's Time For A Rebuild On Long Island

Lou Lamoriello at the 2013 NHL draft (Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images)

When you’ve reached the pinnacle of the hockey management world, like now-former New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello did, you have to know you’re always working on borrowed time. 

At any moment in a zero-sum industry, if you’re not putting up wins or improving in virtually every metric, the team can go in a different direction.

There’s a constant pressure on you to succeed or part ways, and that was true Tuesday when the Islanders announced they’re not renewing the contract of GM-president Lamoriello.

The team gave no immediate reason for the decision or whether it was mutual or not, but the Islanders missed the playoffs this season, and at 82 years old, Lamoriello has nothing to prove to anyone. He may have reached the end of what long ago qualified as a Hockey Hall of Fame career.

Without question, Lamoriello is one of the most successful NHL movers-and-shakers of all-time.

In his first year as GM and president of the New Jersey Devils, Lamoriello guided the team to an Eastern Conference final appearance. And throughout 27 seasons running the Devils, Lamoriello won three Stanley Cups, qualified for five Cup finals and made the playoffs 21 times. Only the Detroit Red Wings came near New Jersey when it came to consistent success, and the cult of personality that Lamoriello created resulted in a culture that was the envy of most, if not all, NHL organizations.

Unfortunately, time eventually caught up to Lamoriello. 

After leaving New Jersey in 2015, he shifted to running the Toronto Maple Leafs for three years before leaving again, this time to serve as Islanders GM and president of hockey operations. 

Say what you will about Lamoriello’s competitive tactics, but you can’t say he ever lacked confidence in himself. Although there were blips of success during Lamoriello’s seven years as Isles GM – including two playoff semifinal appearances – there just wasn’t enough consistent success to keep him employed as GM.

In some ways, you have to appreciate Lamorello’s belief in his players and coaches. 

Lamoriello doubled down on mid-tier veterans, including left winger Pierre Engvall, center Jean-Gabriel Pageau and defenseman Scott Mayfield. But with due respect to forwards Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat and Anders Lee, blueliner Noah Dobson and goaltender Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders lacked the true superstar players that were the engine behind rival teams’ successes. There was no Hart Trophy-winner on Long Island, no Art Ross Trophy or Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy-winners.

Islanders John Collins Brings Massive NHL Experience To General Manager Search Islanders John Collins Brings Massive NHL Experience To General Manager Search When the news broke that the New York Islanders had moved on from Lou Lamoriello, we were told that John Collins would be leading the search for the next general manager.

With Lamoriello out of the picture, his successor will have a golden opportunity to commit to a full roster rebuild – something that could finally deliver the generational talent the Islanders have lacked since star center John Tavares left for the Leafs in 2018, the same year Lamoriello took the Isles’ job. It always felt like Lamoriello was hunting for big fish in the NHL talent pool – even getting Horvat in 2023 – yet he often came away with consolation prizes.

Even toward the end of his tenure, when Lamoriello hired icon Patrick Roy as Isles coach in January 2024 – there was a sense Lamoriello had lost his fastball. No longer could Lamoriello impose his will on a team in the way he did in his heyday. It was a different league Lamoriello was working in, and he didn’t have the foundation he had when superstars Martin Brodeur, Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens and Patrik Elias were his dressing room and on-ice leaders in New Jersey.

So yes, while Islanders ownership is grateful to Lamoriello, it’s clear that it’s now time to tear things down to the studs and build a long-term winner by adding top-end talent through the draft. That’s the best way the Islanders will acquire foundational pieces to build a core with. No more half-measures for this franchise. 

Lamoriello’s days running a team might be over. But the learning tree around him will last for generations. We’re not suggesting all of Lamoriello’s more famous rules – including his determination to eradicate facial hair now and forever – will continue. But Lamoriello’s relentless pursuit of greatness will linger among everyone he did business with. That dogged determination to win will always be there, even if he winds up being a consultant to a team for the rest of his days.

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What we learned as Hicks struggles again in Giants' blowout loss

What we learned as Hicks struggles again in Giants' blowout loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — There have been a few games already this season when it seemed that a Giants starter would have such a rough outing that a position player would end up on the mound. On Tuesday, it finally happened.

An 11-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers ended with rookie infielder Christian Koss on the mound. The Giants gave up eight runs in the top of the sixth and allowed a season-high 11 runs on 13 hits, including a pair of homers in a long sixth inning. 

Jordan Hicks left a mess for Lou Trivino, who gave up a grand slam to Christian Yelich that turned this one into a blowout. Jake Bauers completed the eight-run sixth inning with a two-run blast of his own. 

The Giants dropped to 6-6 during this stretch of 17 games in 17 days. A night after getting three innings out of Hayden Birdsong, they needed 2 1/3 from fellow length reliever Spencer Bivens. Koss saved the bullpen a bit in the ninth, throwing a scoreless inning in his MLB pitching debut. 

Same Result

Hicks had to work hard the last time out to keep his line from looking disastrous. Against the Phillies, he gave up five runs in the first and then bounced back with six shutout innings. On Tuesday, there was no happy ending. 

Hicks gave up three runs in the third on two doubles and two singles, and when Bob Melvin let him try to get through the sixth, the inning turned disastrous. The right-hander sandwiched a single and a walk around a throwing error from Willy Adames, and when Trivino gave up a grand slam to Yelich, Hicks ended up with five earned runs on his line for a second straight start. He has a 6.59 ERA on the season and has allowed 21 runs in 21 1/3 innings since a spectacular season debut in Houston

Hicks is in year two of a four-year deal and continues to show good velocity, but it’s getting harder and harder for the staff to ignore the results — and the fact that Birdsong is in the bullpen and dominating. 

Missing Matos

The Giants were down by 10 when Luis Matos came up for a third time. There was no getting back in the game, but he had a chance to at least grab some momentum. Instead he hit a 78 mph grounder to short for an inning-ending groundout, which continued a recent trend. 

Matos hit into double plays in each of his first two at-bats, and there was no bad luck involved. The first one left the bat at 69 mph and the second at 74 mph. With the three slow rollers to short and a late strikeout, Matos extended his hitless streak to 21 at-bats. He’s batting .147 on the season and is just 2-for-21 against lefties.

The Giants were hopeful that Matos would be Mike Yastrzemski’s platoon partner and also do well enough that he could occasionally be their DH. With this early slump, he has already yielded some at-bats against lefties to Yastrzemski, and that might continue. 

RBI Guy

Wilmer Flores drove in nine runs on the road trip, but he was just 4-for-35 at the plate. In two games back home, he’s still driving in runs, but the rest of the production is there, too. 

Flores had three singles and a walk in four plate appearances and drove in a run in the eighth with a hard single down the right field line. He has reached base seven times in the two games of this series, raising his OPS from .680 to .798.

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Lamoriello's Cold-Blooded Legacy A Good Lesson For Rebuilding Sabres

Lou Lamoriello (Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports)

The New York Islanders parted ways with GM and team president Lou Lamoriello Tuesday, perhaps putting an end to the 82-year-old icon's Hockey Hall-of-Fame career running NHL teams. But there's always something to learn from brilliant people, even when they're removed from power -- and Lamoriello's legacy could and should be a vital lesson for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams.

Here's what we mean:  Lamoriello has been known far and wide to be a cold-blooded operator -- someone who would fire his best friend in a heartbeat if he thought it would improve his chances of winning at the highest level of the game. Lamoriello has dismissed people time and again in the pursuit of greatness, and he came away from it with three Stanley Cups, a slew of playoff series wins, and a general greatness with the New Jersey Devils that was matched only by the Detroit Red Wings in the modern NHL era.

All of Lamoriello's quirks -- the loathing of facial hair, the ability to say nothing of consequence in interviews with the press -- all were there because of his burning drive to win. And while it became harder for Lamoriello to win in his post-Devils career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Islanders, there was no mistaking that he was always going to double down on the talent he acquired, as well as the coaches he entrusted his players with. Whether it was Jacques Lemaire in his Devils heyday or Patrick Roy with the Isles at the moment, Lamoriello used every tool in his power in regard to coaches to gain an advantage over opponents. And that relentless focus is something Adams and the Sabres could use more of.

With Lamoriello now a free-agent of sorts, Buffalo ownership could do a lot worse than hire Lamoriello in a consultant's role. Indeed, Adams should be jumping at the chance to bring in someone with Lamoriello's pedigree, and at 82 years old, Lamoriello is probably not going to get another chance at being an NHL GM. If Adams is looking for a sounding board, Lamoriello could be an ideal hire for Buffalo. The opportunity to work with a younger group of players might be right up Lamoriello's alley, and we'd be shocked if no team hired Lamoriello to serve in one role or another.

But even if Lamoriello is hired by another team, the approach he's always taken -- with a willingness to do whatever he can to win hockey games -- should be matched by Adams and the Sabres. Some have called Lamoriello derogatory names for his style of management and the trap-happy style of his teams on the ice, but you can't take away the results that style has generated.

Kraken's Dismissal Of Coach Bylsma Is Another Reason Sabres Should Be Firing Bench Boss Lindy RuffKraken's Dismissal Of Coach Bylsma Is Another Reason Sabres Should Be Firing Bench Boss Lindy RuffThe NHL's coaching carousel continued spinning like crazy Monday, with the Seattle Kraken firing bench boss Dan Bylsma after only one year on the job. The Kraken/Bylsma news followed the news this past weekend that the New York Rangers dismissed Peter Laviolette, and that the Anaheim Ducks are moving on from Greg Cronin after only two years.

In his generation -- and in many generations -- Lamoriello has done things entirely the way he wanted them done, and that's an approach every team should borrow. Buffalo may not be the right fit for Lamoriello as a consultant, but you'd better believe his everyday approach to building a a winner is something that could help deliver better days to the Sabres. He's been in NHL circles for approaching four decades, and he's a Hall-of-Famer for good reason. And Buffalo could benefit from his unmatched experience.

Lamoriello's aura has always made him feel like the Frank Sinatra of the NHL -- and now that his era is very likely at an end, NHL GMs should be emulating him by doing things their way. The Sabres need to be relentlessly focused on winning, and that could start by bringing Lamoriello aboard. But if it doesn't, Buffalo's approach should still be as determined as Lamoriello was from Day One of his career until his final day. Lamoriello is a kingpin in his own right, and adopting his approach might be a very wise idea for the Sabres.