The Buffalo Sabres are in the midst of a reshuffle of their roster for next season and the bottom end of their blueline is the area where the upheaval is the most stark. If you look at the turnover from the opening night roster last season, Dennis Gilbert was dealt to Ottawa along with Dylan Cozens for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker at the trade deadline, Connor Clifton was shipped to Pittsburgh for Conor Timmins, and Henri Jokiharju was sent to Boston for a 2026 fourth round pick.
Jokiharju, who was a pending unrestricted free agent when the Sabres traded him in March, re-signed with the Bruins on Monday to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. The 26-year-old had 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in 60 games with Buffalo and Boston last season, and is expected to play on the Bruins bottom pairing
Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019 in a swap for Alex Nylander, the former first-round pick had 81 points (19 goals, 62 assists) in 351 games over six seasons with the Sabres, playing at times with Dahlin on the club’s top pairing and higher in the lineup than maybe he should have because of a lack of options on the right side.
The Sabres at this point are going to look different on defense to start next season, with righties Michael Kesselring (acquired in the JJ Peterka deal last week), Timmins (a restricted free agent) and Bernard-Docker on the right side. There is still a possibility of more changes, as Mattias Samuelsson and/or Bowen Byram could be moved this summer, leaving only Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power as defensemen who are certain to be back.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
"With the free-agent market due to open in a little more than 24 hours, the Maple Leafs are exploring whether they can get something done with pending UFA Steven Lorentz to keep him in Toronto," TSN and The Athletic's Chris Johnston reported on X.
Lorentz scored eight goals and 11 assists in 80 games with the Maple Leafs last season, setting a new career-high in assists and tying that in points. The fourth liner also had 199 hits in the regular season, the second-most behind defenseman Simon Benoit (204).
The 29-year-old didn't find the back of the net through the playoffs, but did have two assists in 13 games, both coming against the Florida Panthers in the second round. He was third on Toronto in hits in the playoffs with 42, trailing only Bobby McMann (49) and Max Pacioretty (61).
Lorentz, a lifelong Maple Leafs fan, signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Toronto last October after entering the team's training camp on a professional tryout. He played with the Florida Panthers in the season prior and skated in 16 games for the club en route to their first Stanley Cup win.
The three former Panthers on Toronto—Lorentz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Anthony Stolarz—were presented with Stanley Cup rings ahead of their first game in Florida this past season on Nov. 27.
This news comes amidst a busy time in the NHL with one day remaining until free agency opens. Already being reported is that Toronto could be the frontrunners to land Brad Marchand if he doesn't re-sign in Florida. There's also the potential of a sign-and-trade involving Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Knies' deal is yet to be made official by Toronto.
TSN and The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun also reported that the Maple Leafs could be interested in pending UFA Michael Pezzetta when free agency opens. The 27-year-old was born in Toronto and didn't have a point in 25 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season.
He could fill the void that could come with Group 6 UFAs Alex Steeves and Nick Abruzzese, plus UFA Alex Nylander, potentially testing the open market. Pezzetta has 15 goals and 23 assists in 200 career NHL games with the Canadiens.
The Philadelphia Flyers desperately need their 2025 NHL draft class to be highly productive if their rebuild is going to show progression.
They took some big swings (Porter Martone) and some gambles (Jack Nesbitt) while adding some needed size. How it all turns out down the road will help define a franchise that has been stuck in neutral for way too long.
Brent Flahr, assistant GM, has had a mixed record since the Flyers hired him in December 2018 and have had him heading their draft board since 2019.
Hired by then-GM Chuck Fletcher, Flahr has overseen seven drafts with the Flyers, including this year’s.
During that time, he has had some good draft selections (Tyson Foerster in 2020), some puzzling ones (Cam York over Cole Caufield in 2019) and some that turned out superbly (Matvei Michkov in 2023).
He also made a wise choice, but as it turned out, set back the franchise by selecting Cutter Gauthier in 2022. Gauthier looks like a future star. The problem is he forced the Flyers to trade him because he didn’t want to play in Philadelphia.
Here’s a look at the Flahr-led drafts during his Flyers tenure:
2019
This will forever be known as the draft in which the Flyers bypassed Caufield. Twice.
In hindsight, the decision isn’t as disastrous because of Bobby Brink’s development. Still, the decision to bypass Caufield stings.
Caufield was an electric scorer going into that draft, but the Flyers questioned his lack of size at 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds. He has proven his stature didn’t matter.
The right winger, drafted 15th overall, has been a big-time scorer for the Montreal Canadiens ever since he became a full-time player in 2021-22. In the past four seasons, he has scored 23, 26, 28 and 37 goals for the Canadiens.
Instead of drafting Caufield, Fletcher made two deals and got two players early in the 2019 draft: York and Brink. The latter is a smallish player regarded as Caufield lite. York is still developing but has been mediocre, while Brink had 12 goals and 41 points last season, both career bests.
Would you rather have York and Brink over Caufield? Probably not.
Flahr gets a C-minus in this draft.
2020
Flahr took right winger Foerster at 23rd overall. Defenseman Emil Andrae was taken 54th and has a chance to be a regular.
You can quibble that the Flyers should have taken right winger JJ Peterka instead of Foerster, but the latter has been very solid. Peterka, a German, was taken 34th overall by the Buffalo Sabres and has scored 28 and 27 goals over the past two seasons, respectively. Foerster scored 20 goals as a rookie and 25 goals last season.
Give Flahr a B-plus for his first-round pick in this draft.
2021
The Flyers didn’t have a first-rounder in this draft but selected Samu Tuomaala in the second round and goalie Aleksei Kolosov in the third.
Among the players who were available when Tuomaala was chosen 46th overall: Matthew Knies (29 goals this past season with the Toronto Maple Leafs), Logan Stankoven (14 goals) and productive defenseman J.J. Moser. Tuomaala has been up and down with the AHL Lehigh Valley.
For the Flyers, this draft included Gauthier (fifth overall) and Alex Bump (fifth round, 133rd overall).
In fairness, Gauthier didn’t tell the Flyers he didn’t want to play for them until a few months after the NHL draft, so Flahr and the rest of the draft board should be absolved. If they had known, the Flyers might have chosen center Marco Kasper, who went eighth to the Detroit Red Wings. That would have changed the dynamics of where the center-needy Flyers are today.
In his first full season, Kasper had 19 goals last year and blossomed into the Red Wings’ No. 2 center.
Give Flahr a B-plus for this draft.
2023
This is Flahr’s best draft. By far.
Besides taking star-in-the-making Michkov with the seventh overall pick, the Flyers added to their future nucleus by drafting Oliver Bonk (first round, 22nd overall), Carson Bjarnason (second round), Denver Barkey (third round) and goalie Egor Zavragin (third round).
Bravo, Mr. Flahr. He gets an A-plus for this draft.
2024
Speedy center Jett Luchanko (13th overall) was the Flyers’ top pick, and the jury is still out on him after a strong OHL season in 2024-25. He doesn’t turn 19 until Aug. 21. Flahr’s grade for this draft is incomplete.
2025
The Flyers chose right winger Martone sixth overall, and the power forward has drawn comparisons to the hard-nosed Tkachuk brothers, Matthew and Brady, so it’s hard to argue with the pick.
That said, Philly desperately needed a future No.1 center, and bypassing James Hagens raised some eyebrows. Philadelphia fans will watch closely the development of Martone and Hagens.
Flahr’s biggest gamble was trading two late first-round picks to the Pittsburgh Penguins to move up to No. 12, where the Flyers selected 6-foot-5 center Nesbitt. Most draft experts rated in the mid-20s to high 30s – Ryan Kennedy had him ranked 20th, while Tony Ferrari had him 51st. He is regarded as a future third-line center.
Flahr’s grade for this draft won’t be known for a few years. He did add size – lots of size – and talent later in the draft, so the hope is that not getting a future No. 1 center won’t haunt him.
It's Monday, June 30 and the Reds (44-40) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (41-44). Chase Burns is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Garrett Crochet for Boston.
Burns' debut in the Major League was phenomenal. He struck out the first five batters he faced. While Jacob Misiorowski is the favorite to win NL ROY, Burns is the third favorite at +900.
The Red Sox are fourth in the AL East and have played poorly. They have only won three of their last 10 games, and have lost their last three series.
The Reds are four games over .500, but are just fourth in the NL Central. With Burns on the mound for them, they hope to start the series strong with a win.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Odds for the Reds at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Reds (+157), Red Sox (-189)
Spread: Red Sox -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for June 30, 2025: Chase Burns vs. Garrett Crochet
Reds: Chase Burns, (0-0, 5.40 ERA) Last outing (New York Yankees, 6/24): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts
Red Sox: Garrett Crochet, (7-4, 2.06 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Angels, 6/24): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 10 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries, and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions, and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Red Sox
The Red Sox are 7-3 in their last 10 home games
The Over is 7-3 in the Reds' last 10 road games
The Reds have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 2.71 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline, and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Reds and the Red Sox
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Reds and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
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Kevon Looney has left the only NBA franchise he has known for the past decade, agreeing to a two-year, $16 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday, citing sources.
Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Life Sports Agency CEO Todd Ramasar and the Pelicans reached a deal tonight for the three-time NBA champion who departs Golden State after 10 years. pic.twitter.com/FAvVBa4Tk6
Looney, affectionately known by Dub Nation as “Loon,” was selected No. 30 overall by Golden State in the 2015 NBA Draft and went on to become a fan favorite as a three-time champion with the Warriors.
The 29-year-old center has dealt with various injuries throughout his 10-season career, from surgeries for hip and core muscle issues to a neuropathic condition that threatened his career — all the while pushing through to become Golden State’s dependable Iron Man. Despite all the setbacks, Looney evolved into one of the Warriors’ most reliable players and played in 290 consecutive games from March 20, 2021, to March 8, 2024.
Looney leaves the Warriors just one contest shy of 600 regular-season games with Golden State, averaging 5.0 points on 57.5-percent shooting from the field with 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 17.2 minutes across those 599 appearances.
The big man appeared in 89 NBA playoff games with the Warriors and started 27, most notably shutting down the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals with 8.2 rebounds per game and providing stellar defense on superstars like James Harden and Anthony Davis early in Golden State’s dynastic run.
When the 2024-25 NBA season ended, Looney said he already had preliminary discussions with the Warriors’ front office about returning and felt optimistic that a deal would get done. But after a decade in this league, Looney knew that nothing is guaranteed.
“But it’s the NBA, things always change, especially when you don’t win it all,” Looney said. “I’m just ready for whatever.
“They’re going to try to do whatever is best to make the team better. Hopefully I’m in those plans.”
Even though things didn’t pan out between Golden State and Looney, when all is said and done, there is no Warriors dynasty without him. But now, he will continue his successful NBA career on a new team — and Dub Nation certainly hopes Loon’s new fanbase appreciates him like they did.
🎥🤯 2.21m NBA star dazzles with football skills on the pitch
There are many very tall footballers who have a legendary status among fans. Peter Crouch, Jan Koller, and Per Mertesacker are just three of them. All were just over or under two meters tall. If they were to stand in front of Victor Wembanyama, they would probably all get a stiff neck. The NBA superstar of the San Antonio Spurs is in fact 2.21m tall and thus even among basketball players a giant. Despite this, he recently showed that he has a few football skills on the local pitch.
🤩🇫🇷 Pro basketball player Victor Wembanyama with this free-kick! He is 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m). ⛹️♂️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/RYMtYIPakY
The Frenchman's free-kick lands exactly in the corner. No wonder the crowd present completely freaks out and celebrates the giant. Probably Wemby had looked over the wall beforehand and thus spotted the goalkeeper.
Free agent forward Jake LaRavia has agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. LaRavia had a strong finish after joining the Sacramento Kings last season. pic.twitter.com/hXw9E1PzZV
Sacramento acquired LaRavia from the Memphis Grizzlies at February’s trade deadline; the Kings sent guard Colby Jones and center Alex Len to the Washington Wizards to complete the three-team deal.
In 19 games with the Kings last season, LaRavia averaged 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 19.3 minutes, while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3-point range. The third-year forward was a significant defensive contributor off the bench, recording nearly a steal per game in Sacramento.
“I had even told (the Kings) in the exit interviews that if they gave him (Christie) the head coaching job, I’d look forward to going back there even more,” LaRavia told Ben Pfeifer of Basketball Insiders. “I really did enjoy being there in Sacramento, even outside of the coaches and the players, the fanbase there was amazing. I could see going back there as an option.”
The Kings brought in another versatile power forward in last week’s NBA Draft, taking Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud with the No. 42 overall pick in the second round.
Schröder, a 12-year NBA veteran, was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft but since has been on nine different teams, and now 10. Just last season, he bounced around three organizations, starting with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Golden State Warriors and then ending the year with the Detroit Pistons.
Over his career, the 31-year-old has averaged 13.9 points on 43.2-percent shooting from the field and 34.2 percent from 3-point range, with 2.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 27.3 minutes.
After trading De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in February, the Kings tried to fill the void with Malik Monk and Markelle Fultz. It wasn’t sustainable for an already choppy offense, and new general manager Scott Perry made it his top priority to bring in someone new to help run the offense.
Now, after checking the top thing off his to-do list, Perry and Co. can shift their focus elsewhere this offseason.
Free agent guard Malik Beasley, who played last season for the Detroit Pistons, is reportedly under federal investigation relating to gambling allegations in conection to league games. (Eric Gay / Associated Press)
Veteran NBA player Malik Beasley is under federal investigation relating to gambling allegations in connection to league games, according to multiple media reports.
According to ESPN, which was first to report the investigation, the allegations are from the 2023-24 season when Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks. ESPN cited a gambling industry source who said that at least one prominent U.S. sportsbook noticed unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley's statistics starting around January 2024.
“There have been no charges against Malik,” Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, told the Associated Press. “It’s just an investigation at this point. We hope people reserve judgment until he’s charged — or if he’s charged. It’s not uncommon for there to be a federal investigation.”
Haney told ABC News that he understands that the U.S. attorney's office in the Eastern District of New York is leading the investigation. A spokesperson for that office declined to comment for this article.
On Sunday, NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement that the league is “cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation” into Beasley.
Beasley has played for six teams during his nine-year NBA career, including a stint with the Lakers during the 2022-23 season. He played for the Detroit Pistons last season, averaging 16.3 points a game and setting a franchise record by making 319 three-point shots during the regular season.
In April 2024, the NBA banned then-Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter after finding that he had violated numerous league rules in relation to sports betting, including limiting his participation in one or more games and disclosing confidential information to bettors. Porter eventually pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and has yet to be sentenced.
CLEVELAND — To say June was a bad month for the Cleveland Guardians would be an understatement.
One of the worst offensive months in team history would be more like it.
The Guardians went 9-15 in June and had a .206 batting average, which is tied for the third-worst batting month in franchise history with at least 13 games played.
“We need to score more. We need to get more going,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “We’re all trying to be perfect right now, whether it’s pitchers, position players, doesn’t matter. Everybody’s trying to be perfect. We need to relax. We need to just take a deep breath, take a step back and go play baseball.”
Cleveland, which is on a four-game losing streak, begins a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs. At 40-42, they are 2 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot after being five games over .500 and in wild-card position on June 1. Last season, the Guardians won the AL Central and reached the AL Championship Series.
The Guardians dropped five of six on its recent homestand and were shut out three times. They have scored runs in only two of the last 40 innings. They scored 72 runs during the month, the third-fewest they have scored in a June in franchise history.
“I think it’s frustrating, but if we knew the answer, we would’ve done it two months ago,” outfielder Nolan Jones said. “We have the arms to compete against anybody and have some guys who have been swinging it well and some guys like myself who haven’t been contributing a ton.”
José Ramírez is seventh in the American League with a .309 batting average, and leadoff hitter Steven Kwan is 11th at .295. The rest of the everyday lineup, though, doesn’t have anyone batting above .250.
The organization hoped catcher Bo Naylor would bounce back after batting only .201 last season, but that hasn’t happened. Naylor has a .168 average and mired in a 1 for 31 slump since June 10.
Outfielders Lane Thomas and David Fry — the heroes of last year’s AL Division Series victory over Detroit — also have struggled with injuries and slow starts at the plate. Fry missed the first two months after undergoing offseason elbow surgery and is 6 for 43 with 21 strikeouts since returning.
Thomas — who had stints on the IL because of wrist and foot injuries — is batting .168 but is 6 for 24 in his last seven games.
The lack of offense is not surprising, as it was a potential concern during spring training. The Guardians go into July with a .226 team average, second-lowest in the majors.
Despite the offensive struggles, the Guardians continue to get solid pitching. The staff had a 3.79 ERA in June, which was eighth-lowest in the majors. Shane Bieber was hoping to be back by the All-Star break after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last April, but his comeback is delayed by elbow soreness.
Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s president of baseball operations, did credit Naylor as one reason for the pitching staff’s solid month.
“The pitching staff has not wavered, and the fact that he’s been able to help and he’s been a big part of that group making progress over the last couple months and separate his offense out from that, it’s a great credit to him,” Antonetti said.
Whether help is on the way through the minors or other moves leading up to the July 31 MLB trade deadline is something to keep an eye on.
Outfielder Chase DeLauter is batting .305 in Triple-A Columbus with a 26-game on-base streak, while first baseman/outfielder C.J. Kayfus has 10 home runs and a .303 average.
The biggest concern with DeLauter remains injuries. He was contending for a roster spot during spring training before having surgery in March to address a sports hernia injury.
“We’re constantly thinking about, ‘How do we find that right mix of guys to give us the best chance to compete each night at the major league level.’ And we do believe that we will get reinforcements and support from some players that are not yet at the major league level,” Antonetti said. “I think as we look forward, the results will be better from here than they’ve been over the last month. I don’t think the last month is indicative of the potential of the guys that are on the roster.”
After a difficult June, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Guardians. After the Cubs series, they host AL Central leader Detroit for three games before a seven-game road trip to Houston and the Chicago White Sox ahead of the All-Star break.
“We’ve got 13 games in a row coming up after this off-day. We have an opportunity to get it rolling, and that’s the way I look at it,” Vogt said. “This is a really talented team. I believe in each and every one of these guys, and I know we’re going to break out of it.”
The Boston Red Sox farm system still has plenty of promising young talent outside of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer.
Several players have emerged as candidates to take over the No. 1 spot in Boston’s prospect rankings once Anthony and Mayer officially graduate. Among them are slugging outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia and middle infielder Franklin Arias, who both have worked their way into Baseball America’s most recent Top 100 list.
Who else could contend for that top spot? Who are the most intriguing pitchers in the minors? And who’s knocking on the door of the majors?
2025 stats: .288/.423/.491, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 51 BB, 56 SO (58 games at Triple-A Worcester); .193/.324/.333, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 10 BB, 17 SO (18 games for Boston)
Roman Anthony has finally arrived. And although the above MLB numbers don’t jump off the page, they don’t tell the whole story of his first taste of the big leagues.
Anthony, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, has hit the ball hard in many of his plate appearances so far with Boston. He started to find the gaps more during the Red Sox’ series against the Toronto Blue Jays, going 6-for-13 at the plate with three doubles. He recorded his first career three-hit game on Saturday.
2nd inning: 107.9 mph single 5th: Double down the line 8th: 107.2 mph ground-rule double
Roman Anthony showed off his ability to produce eye-popping exit velocities in his first multhit game for the @RedSox. pic.twitter.com/7zRL4y28tW
It feels like Anthony’s breakout is imminent. Don’t be surprised if he surges into the American League Rookie of the Year conversation by the season’s end.
2. Marcelo Mayer, INF
2025 stats: .271/.347/.471, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 20 BB, 38 SO (43 games at Triple-A Worcester); .208/.262/.429, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 26 SO (27 games for Boston)
Like Anthony, Mayer is hitting the ball hard when he makes contact. However, he has struggled more than his fellow top prospect in the swing-and-miss department.
Still, Mayer has looked the part so far in the majors. His left-handed power has been on display with four homers thus far, including two in one game against Tampa Bay:
Mayer’s silky smooth infield defense has been the most impressive part of his game. The 22-year-old has perennial Gold Glove candidate written all over him.
3. Franklin Arias, SS
2025 stats: .302/.353/.410, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 20 BB, 27 SO (19 games at Low-A Salem, 45 games at High-A Greenville)
MLB ETA: 2027
Arias’ bat cooled off considerably in June. The promising 19-year-old slashed .169/.228/.265 this month after hitting .404/.438/.576 in May.
It’s likely a minor blip on the radar for Arias, who has emerged as a candidate for the No. 1 spot in Boston’s prospect rankings once Anthony and Mayer officially graduate. With elite bat-to-ball skills and impressive middle-infield defense, Arias looks like the real deal.
“He’s a really exciting prospect,” SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall said in a recent conversation with NBC Sports Boston. “He’s someone that, what really stands out is the hit tool. He’s arguably the best pure hitter in the system. … When you see him play, he’s just on base every time. He puts the ball in play, he gets on base.”
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 20, 2025
4. Luis Perales, RHP
2025 stats: N/A
MLB ETA: 2027
Perales has begun a throwing program after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. The 22-year-old flamethrower has tremendous top-of-the-rotation upside, but it remains to be seen if he’ll have the same stuff when he returns from injury.
5. Jhostynxon Garcia, OF
2025 stats: .275/.359/.486, 12 HR, 40 RBI, 33 BB, 67 SO (33 games at Double-A Portland, 33 games at Triple-A Worcester)
MLB ETA: 2026
Garcia, perfectly nicknamed “The Password,” has taken over for Anthony and Mayer as the star in Worcester. The 22-year-old slugger was promoted to Triple-A in mid-May and has done nothing but rake since, slashing .292/.363/.569 with nine homers and 23 RBI in 33 games for the WooSox.
Major League Baseball has recognized Garcia’s performance by naming him to the 2025 All-Star Futures Game. He will be Boston’s lone representative at the July 13 event in Atlanta.
6. James Tibbs III, OF
2025 stats: .246/.374/.452, 12 HR, 32 RBI, 48 BB, 57 SO (57 games at High-A Eugene, 11 games at Triple-A Worcester)
MLB ETA: 2027
The Red Sox acquired Tibbs from the San Francisco Giants as part of the Rafael Devers trade. The 22-year-old outfielder was picked 13th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, one slot behind the Red Sox’ selection of outfielder Braden Montgomery, who was sent to the Chicago White Sox in the offseason deal for Garrett Crochet.
Tibbs was red-hot with 12 homers in High-A before joining the Red Sox organization, but he has yet to find his groove at Double-A Portland. That’s likely to change soon as the former Florida State standout boasts impressive power that has been showcased for most of his collegiate and professional career.
James Tibbs III triples and is 2-for-3 on the night. He's hitting .357 since joining the Red Sox organization. pic.twitter.com/zfDM5SLfFn
— Portland Sea Dogs (@PortlandSeaDogs) June 20, 2025
7. Yoeilin Cespedes, SS/2B
2025 stats: .236/.288/.391, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 19 BB, 55 SO (60 games at Low-A Salem)
MLB ETA: 2028
Cespedes looked outstanding last year in rookie ball before suffering a season-ending hand injury. The 19-year-old hasn’t been able to find consistency at the plate since, though he has shown flashes of his potential with 13 doubles, four triples, and five homers this year in Low-A.
Homer No. 5 on the season for Yoeilin Cespedes was a go-ahead three-run blast! 💥 pic.twitter.com/r1Hw1xcSMw
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 26, 2025
8. Dorian Soto, SS
2025 stats: .382/.413/.574, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 5 BB, 11 SO (18 games at Dominican Summer League)
MLB ETA: 2029
The Red Sox signed Soto — no relation to Juan Soto — as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in January. Now 17, the talented infielder is tearing the cover off the ball in the Dominican Summer League.
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 20, 2025
Soto is a switch-hitting shortstop listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, and he’s likely not done growing yet. If he lives up to his lofty potential in the minors, we could see Soto inside the top five Red Sox prospect rankings in no time.
9. David Sandlin, RHP
2025 stats: 4-3, 3.66 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 21 BB, 69 SO (13 appearances, including 11 starts at Double-A Portland)
MLB ETA: 2026
Sandlin has only gotten better as the season has gone on in Portland. The hard-throwing righty has allowed just one hit and zero runs across his last 10 innings of work.
David Sandlin continues to shove after another scoreless outing for Portland. pic.twitter.com/k2Jf0CHpiU
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) June 29, 2025
Sandlin has a 2.18 ERA over his last six outings (five starts). It’s all starting to come together for the promising 24-year-old, who arrived via the John Schreiber trade with the Kansas City Royals in 2024.
10. Connelly Early, LHP
2025 stats: 6-1, 1.94 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 24 BB, 81 SO (12 appearances, including nine starts at Double-A Portland)
MLB ETA: 2026
Early has been one of the breakout stars of Boston’s farm system this year. The 23-year-old southpaw has made it look easy at Double-A, including during a brilliant performance Sunday in which he tossed six no-hit innings with seven strikeouts.
Absolute dominance from Connelly Early on Sunday. 😮💨
Chase Burns arrived in the big leagues with a flourish, striking out the first five hitters he faced for Cincinnati in his debut against the New York Yankees.
He’s just the latest young pitcher in the NL Central to show his impressive potential.
Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, of course, finished third in the National League Cy Young race as a rookie last year. More recently, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski threw 11 straight hitless innings to start his career and then beat Skenes in a head-to-head matchup. Now Burns, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, has reached the majors, and Skenes could have some help in his own rotation whenever Bubba Chandler — MLB Pipeline’s No. 2-ranked prospect — is promoted to the Pirates.
These pitchers have given the NL Central quite a shot in the arm after the Chicago Cubs have appeared in control of the division at various points. Milwaukee has won 22 of its last 31 and trails the Cubs by just two games now. Cincinnati has won 14 of its last 21. Even the last-place Pirates have played better than .500 baseball for over a month, and they just swept three straight from the New York Mets by a combined score of 30-4.
Four teams in the NL Central are at least four games over .500, and every team has an ERA under 4.00 — the only division that can say that. These young starters, who have joined more established pitchers like Freddy Peralta of the Brewers and Hunter Greene of the Reds, suggest the future is bright in the division — as long as you’re not a hitter.
SF slump
The Giants dropped two of three to the lowly Chicago White Sox immediately after losing three in a row to Miami. San Francisco is now 7 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and has gone 4-8 since its big trade for Rafael Devers.
Devers has hit .217 since arriving from the Boston Red Sox.
Trivia time
Washington’s James Wood became the first player since Barry Bonds to be intentionally walked four times in a game. But which Hall of Famer drew five intentional walks in a game in 1990?
Line of the week
Sonny Gray — another NL Central pitcher — was sensational in St. Louis’ 5-0 win over Cleveland, throwing a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Gray had not thrown a complete game since 2017 and hadn’t thrown a shutout since 2015.
Gray did not have a walk, faced one batter over the minimum and threw only 89 pitches.
Comeback of the week
Miami trailed Arizona 7-3 before scoring three runs in the eighth, one in the ninth and one in the top of the 10th to win 8-7. Dane Myers stole second and third in the ninth before scoring the tying run on a sacrifice fly, and Agustín Ramírez put the Marlins ahead in extra innings with an RBI single.
Arizona’s win probability peaked at 97.4% in the bottom of the seventh, according to Baseball Savant.
Honorable mention: Baltimore fell behind 6-0 in the second before blowing out Tampa Bay 22-8. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles became the first American League or National League team to win by at least 14 runs after trailing by six.
Trivia answer
Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs was intentionally walked five times on May 22, 1990, against Cincinnati. The Cubs won that game 2-1 in 16 innings.
Major League Baseball announced the full National and American League rosters for the 2025 All-Star Futures game, and the Mets and Yankees are well-represented.
For the Mets, starting pitcher Jonah Tong and outfielder Carson Benge will be part of the NL roster, while shortstop George Lombard Jr. will be part of the AL squad.
The 22-year-old Tong is in the midst of an unbelievable season for Double-A Binghamton, pitching to a 1.73 ERA with a ridiculous 115 strikeouts in just 73.0 innings (14.2 strikeouts per nine innings).
Tong pitched 6.2 innings of a combined perfect game for the Rumble Ponies on May 10, and he recently spoke with SNY's Danny Abriano about how his work this past offseason put him in this position, his evolving pitch repertoire, and more.
Benge, the Mets' first-round pick in the 2024 draft, posted an .897 OPS in 60 games for High-A Brooklyn this season before recently getting promoted to Binghamton. The early returns have been pretty solid for the center fielder, who has a .742 OPS over his first five games at the Double-A level.
As for Lombard, the Yankees' 2023 first-round pick was tearing it up for High-A Hudson Valley this season, slashing .329/.495/.488 in 24 games before his promotion to Double-A Somerset.
It's been a bit of an adjustment for Lombard at the next level, with him posting a .660 OPS in 48 games with the Patriots. But the 20-year-old remains one of the most exciting prospects in the Yankees' system, and is the potential shortstop of the future.
Here are the full rosters for the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, which will take place in Atlanta on July 12:
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, throwing against the Boston Red Sox last week, has anchored a starting rotation that has only used five pitchers so far this season. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Kyle Hendricks knows what it takes to make it in Major League Baseball.
The 162-game trek of the regular season is familiar to the 35-year-old Southern California native across his 12-year career. With Joe Maddon as his manager for the first half of his career, Hendricks was provided room to screw up — messing around with his mechanics and pitch arsenal — to become a top-end starting pitcher that helped the Chicago Cubs claim the 2016 World Series.
“It established a lot of confidence in me,” said Hendricks, who started more than 30 games four times in five seasons from 2015-19. “The organization handing you the ball every fifth day, having that confidence in you to give the team a chance to win. That's how you learn.”
Learning has arrived in spades for the Angels pitching staff. The starting rotation owns a 4.22 earned-run average, fostering a crop of middle-of-the-pack pitchers that doesn’t feature a traditional ace, nor former Cy Young Award winners. (The Angels' overall staff ERA of 4.58 ranks 24th in MLB entering Monday.)
But there's something that makes this group stand out from the rest of the league: pitching every fifth day.
The Halos feature the only pitching staff in baseball to have their season-opening rotation — of Yusei Kikuchi, Jack Kochanowicz, José Soriano, Tyler Anderson and Hendricks — make every start of the season as the All-Star break approaches. The Angels (41-42) set a team record over the weekend for most games to begin a season using no more than five starters, surpassing the mark of 80 games set in 1999.
The only other team close to the Angels? The Tampa Bay Rays, who have used just six pitchers to start — a singular spot start mixed in for the AL East contenders.
As the ulnar collateral ligament epidemic has grown over the last decade — forcing players with elbow injuries under the knife for Tommy John surgery — and as openers and bullpen games have become more normalized in MLB, having the same five pitchers throw every fifth day has become a rarity.
For instance, up the highway at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have used 13 traditional starting pitchers in 2025.
“That's huge,” catcher Travid d’Arnaud said, adding that it's helpful for him and Logan O’Hoppe to work with the same crop of starting pitchers week-by-week, building camaraderie and chemistry. “Games started is one of the most valuable things you could do over a year, especially when you're getting 30 to 35 starts. For everyone to not miss one and just keep going every fifth day, especially when things aren't going well, I think that's when you learn the most, regardless of good or bad.”
Kochanowicz, for example, has a 6.44 earned-run average over his last eight starts and has only struck out 61 batters in 86 innings while opponents have hit .289 against him this season.
But for interim Angels manager Ray Montgomery, the ability for the 6-foot-7 sinkerballer to learn from failure and learn to adjust in the big league environment has caused Kochanowicz to show extra mettle on the mound.
Against the Red Sox on June 22, Kochanowicz faltered in the first inning, giving up three runs. But the second-year Angels starter pitched into the fifth, gave up just one more run, and worked longer than big-league veteran Walker Buehler did for Boston.
Kochanowicz, 24, didn’t have his best stuff, striking out one, but battled early adversity to keep the Angels in the ballgame — a game they’d eventually win, 9-5.
“I think this is the time of year to your point where they're going to see the difference,” Montgomery said, adding that every pitcher in the league is dealing with wear or tear in the middle months. “I think mentally is where you have to see it. And that's where I credit Jack … for getting even through five [innings]. Just that was a mental grind from him.”
It’s not just Kochanowicz. Soriano has produced a sneaky-good campaign in his third MLB season — and second in the starting rotation. The 26-year-old Dominican-born righty holds a 3.99 earned-run average across 17 starts. In four of his last six starts, he’s allowed one or fewer runs.
Going out every five days, no matter the results, has begun to show its dividends. Against the Athletics on June 10, Soriano struck out 12 in a seven-inning, one-run outing. Pitching versus the Astros on June 21, he struck out 10 across 6 ⅔ innings. However, there have been bumpy moments — like when he gave up eight runs in four innings on Friday against the Nationals.
“I just keep my head up,” Soriano said in Spanish through team interpreter Manny Del Campo when asked after the game about how knowing he’ll be back starting in five days helps him prepare after less-than-ideal appearances. “Don't get frustrated with those kind of outings and be good, and keep working hard and be ready for those big outings.”
The velocity is there for Soriano — averaging 97 mph on his fastball and sinker — but the pitchability is a skill that comes with time, Hendricks said.
The first-year Angel and long-time big leaguer added that routine building takes time and for Soriano and Kohcanowicz, they’ve been provided a runaway for experimentation — which can lead to success.
“It really helps their confidence,” Hendricks said. “‘You can see this year with Jack and José, they're just learning how to go about their routine. What they need in between starts — it changes depending on how you feel and what you're working on from the last start. So just to see all those adjustments that they're making is truly how you learn yourself.”
He continued: “I think they're doing so well right now, but it's going to be even better for them the longer they go in their careers.”
