ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 25: Nick Martinez #28 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches in the top of the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on July 25, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Rays entered Friday’s game with a three-game lead in the AL East, after the Yankees beat the Cubs in an afternoon affair at Wrigley Field, By the end of Friday’s game, which saw the division lead cut to 2.5, the last completed trade was AJ Minter to the Twins. There is now less than three days until Monday’s 6 pm deadline.
Nick Martinez took the mound for the Rays, and it wasn’t a night to remember for the All-Star pitcher. He gave up six runs over six innings, all of them coming on four White Sox home runs. It’s a scary thought to think about Martinez, who doesn’t have overpowering stuff, facing teams like this in a postseason setting. There’s still time to bolster this rotation, Erik.
The one bright spot for the Rays on Friday night was Junior Caminero hitting his 30th home run of the season. He’s on pace to reach the 40 mark for a second straight season.
Alex Cook, who replaced Shane McClanahan on the active roster, made his Major League debut, pitching the seventh and eighth innings. Cook walked a pair and didn’t record any strikeouts, but kept the White Sox off the board in his two innings of work. He leaned on his fastball, throwing it 76% of the time, occasionally mixing in a slider and changeup.
In Durham this season, Cook has thrown 33.1 innings with a 3.78 ERA.
The division race is far from decided, but tonight’s loss is a reminder that reinforcements are needed. Like the rest of the league, the Rays are waiting for the few sellers to budge and for the dam to burst before Monday’s deadline.
TORONTO, ON - JULY 31: Dylan Cease #84 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the first inning during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Rogers Centre on July 31, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Any game that Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease is involved in is likely to be a pitcher’s duel. That proved true Friday night, but Kyle Leahy was equally vexing to the Blue Jays lineup. Eventually it would come down to which team would prevail against the other’s bullpen and I’ll give you two guesses, but you’ll only need one to figure out whose bullpen won.
There isn’t much offense from either team to share for the first half of Friday’s game in Toronto, but there was an excellent defense play from Alec Burleson who robbed Nathan Lukes leading off the bottom of the 1st inning.
Alec Burleson also had the Cardinals first hit of the game which didn’t happen until the top of the 4th inning when he lead off with a double. Unfortunately, neither Herrera, Nootbaar or Winn could drive him in. When Dylan Cease is on the mound, you had better take advantage of scoring chances.
St. Louis had a similar opportunity with different results in the top of the 5th inning when Nathan Church led off with a single under Clement’s glove. He then stole second giving the Cardinals another runner in scoring position with no outs. Fermin grounded out to Guerrero Jr. who made a great play at first which moved Church to third with one out. Jimmy Crooks struck out, but JJ Wetherholt drew a walk and then Jordan Walker came through with a two-out single to left center scoring Church and giving St. Louis a precious 1-0 lead.
Kyle Leahy avoided drama until the bottom of the 5th inning when the Toronto Blue Jays started a two-out rally when Valenzuela singled followed by Gimenez who grounded deep to short where Masyn Winn nearly made an incredible play almost throwing him out at first. But, Nathan Lukes hit a weak fly to Jordan Walker in right to end the inning with no real damage done.
The Blue Jays would finally get to Leahy in the bottom of the 6th inning. Vladamir Guerrero Jr., who had not hit a home run in Toronto this season, came within an eyelash of doing that Friday night. He crushed an 85 mph Leahy curveball that hung up in the zone high off of the left field wall for a leadoff double. Kazuma Okamoto followed with a double of his own into the left field corner scoring Guerrero Jr. tying the game 1-1. It could have been worse as Springer lined out to Burleson at first. Varsho then hit a laser groundball that took a short hop on JJ Wetherholt, but he was able to snag it and throw Varsho out. Finally, Clement popped out to centerfield where Nathan Church made a run-saving diving catch to end the Blue Jays 6th.
Both Kyle Leahy and Dylan Cease would come out of the game after 6 complete innings by each. Kyle Leahy’s stat line was 6 innings, allowing 6 hits, 1 run while striking out 3 and walking 1. Dylan Cease’s 6 innings also included 1 earned run, but he only allowed 3 hits while striking out 7 and walking 3. You know you’ve had a solid outing when you’ve gone mano-a-mano with All-Star Cease.
The Cardinals bullpen took over the bottom of the 7th with Justin Bruihl. He struck out Schneider, but then allowed a single to Valenzuela. Gimenez then hit a ball to the right side of the infield that glanced off of Burleson’s glove giving Toronto runners at first and second with no outs. Manager Oli Marmol brought in Peter Strezelecki to replace Bruihl. The Blue Jays had Myles Straw pinch-hit for Lukes and he was immediately plunked on the arm by Strezelecki loading the bases for the very much overdue Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with just one out. In what can almost be considered a baseball miracle, Strezelecki got Guerrero Jr. to ground into an inning-ending double play keeping the game tied 1-1 after 7 innings.
After the Cardinals did nothing with their half of the 8th inning, Strezelecki stayed in the game long enough to get one out before walking Springer and Varsho. Gordon Graceffo was handed the ball with the hope that he could keep the game tied. He upped the degree of difficulty by walking Ernie Clement to load the bases. The Blue Jays sent up pinch-hitter Luis Urias. He took the second pitch he saw which was a slider on the outside part of the plate and turned it into a 2-run RBI single giving the Blue Jays a 3-1 lead. The Cardinals were fortunate to get an inning-ending double play to keep Toronto from piling on even more runs.
For the Cardinals to extend Friday’s game, the bottom half of the St. Louis lineup would have to come through against Blue Jays All-Star reliever Louis Varland. Lars Nootbaar started the Cardinals 9th with a groundout to Clement at second. Masyn Winn was able to line a single into right field to give St. Louis some hope bringing up Nathan Church who already had 2 hits on the night as the potential tying run. He flew out to right field for the second out. Jose Fermin grounded out to end the game and start the Cardinals Canadian field trip with a loss.
Saturday’s matinee matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays will feature the Major League debut of Quinn Matthews. He’ll compete with Kevin Gausman who gets the start for the Blue Jays. First pitch is scheduled for 2:07pm central time and the TV broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 17: Bryce Miller #50 of the Seattle Mariners is greeted by teammates in the dugout during the game against the San Francisco Giants at T-Mobile Park on July 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Kevin Ng/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re back and not better than ever. The Mariners open one of their longest homestands of the season tonight, starting with the Twins for three games before the Tigers and Rays come to town, with the Rays series falling during the “50 Seasons” celebration. Also, it’s Fireworks Night, and you’ll just need to trust me on this, but the Mariners are 1-557 on fireworks nights, with the one win being J.P.‘s walkoff last season when he was actually pissed to have to stay over later on a fireworks night when everyone who isn’t a fan is just trying to get out of the building ASAP before the traffic hits. So. Fireworks nights are not my favorites. And just to get ahead of this, I also loathe the Blue Angels, who were flying overhead earlier. Loud noises aren’t my favorite unless it’s the musical stylings of Steely Dan or the crack of a baseball coming off Julio’s bat.
Lineups:
J.P. Crawford will get a guaranteed early exit from the ballpark tonight as he’s been placed on the seven-day IL with wrist soreness. Leo Rivas is here in his place, but it’s Weston Wilson getting the start at third tonight instead. Luke Raley is out of the lineup tonight; the elbow strain that he’s been playing through is bothering him today, but he was out on the field participating in warm-ups pregame. He’s day-to-day.
News:
As mentioned above, J.P. Crawford is sidelined with wrist inflammation. Read about that and more in John’s injury update.
The Twins kicked off their trade deadline by making a move prior to this series, because you just gotta get as many lefties as you can before facing the Mariners:
TV: Mariners.TV with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryan Rowland-Smith with Angie Mentink as field reporter; the game will also show over the airwaves on King 5 in Seattle.
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
Jul 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Athletics shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (44) is caught trying to steal second by Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Every time Klay Thompson’s name shows up in a trade rumor that doesn’t involve Golden State, there’s a version of me that flinches a little. Watching him drain threes in a Mavericks jersey on Christmas Day was already enough of an adjustment for one lifetime. But if the sharpshooter with the quickest release we’ve ever seen is headed somewhere else this time, Miami might be the one address on the list that doesn’t feel like a betrayal.
Here’s why. Andre Iguodala left Golden State’s launch pad and found a second wind in Miami, helping drag that Heat team to the Bubble Finals against all logic. Andrew Wiggins, a guy this fanbase watched grow up in real time, has planted his own flag down there too. A landing spot like the Lakers or Celtics would always feel like Klay playing in someone else’s shadow. Miami is different. Pat Riley’s organization has a track record of taking a Warriors name that needed a reset and building a role around what still works, not what used to.
If Andre Iguodala ever ran a franchise, he's taking the culture from the Miami Heat. 💯
"You don’t hear players get in trouble in Miami. That’s all you need to know…in MIAMI. Out of all the places."
The forgotten man in Dallas may be getting a lifeline out of town.
The Dallas Mavericks would prefer to trade veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson this offseason, longtime NBA writer Marc Stein reported this week. Stein also adds that the Miami Heat are one of the teams hoping… pic.twitter.com/5bnhArGmCS
The reporting on how this actually happens is simple once you strip out the accounting. Klay takes a buyout from Dallas. Miami signs him using what’s left of its midlevel exception. Dallas doesn’t want that. That’s the whole standoff, according to Anthony Chiang’s mailbag for the Miami Herald.
Dallas believes a team built around Cooper Flagg can hang around the play-in picture, and a shooter like Thompson still has value to them, whether that’s minutes or a trade chip down the line. There’s no reason for Dallas to rush toward giving that away for nothing.
Strip away the money and the standoff for a second, because the basketball logic here writes itself. Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo are two players who live in the paint. They need someone defenses have to honor beyond the arc without needing plays run for him. That’s the exact profile Thompson has spent his whole career perfecting, going back to a Warriors era where he built his game around cutting and relocating rather than dribbling into pull-ups.
The decline is real and worth naming honestly. His overall game slipped last season as he posted career lows across the board with Dallas. But he still knocked down 38 percent of his threes, and there just aren’t many players alive who scare a defense standing still the way Klay Thompson does.
On ESPN’s “NBA Today” this past Wednesday, Shams Charania said flatly, “Klay is the Heat’s number one priority right now to acquire,” while noting that several other contending teams are reportedly still monitoring the situation, keeping both a trade and a buyout in play.
Shams reiterates Klay Thompson being Miami’s top priority.
The Heat are clearly sending Klay’s camp they got the money for him and to work out that buyout 👀 pic.twitter.com/cP7jUQfKui
So here’s where it sits. Dallas has rejected Miami’s preferred mechanism. Miami has no obvious next move beyond waiting it out. And somewhere in the Bay, there’s a fanbase that will be checking up on the younger Splash Bro, rooting for a next chapter that finally feels like Klay’s story again.
SAN DIEGO — The San Francisco Giants are suspending payment to injured outfielder Harrison Bader after he aggravated his injured left foot during a scooter accident last weekend.
Bader has been out since late May dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The team said the injury got worse following the accident early Sunday morning in San Francisco.
“Over the weekend, Harrison Bader was involved in an accident that has delayed Harrison’s prior treatment timeline for plantar fasciitis and, unfortunately, his return to the field,” Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey said in a statement Friday. “We are still investigating the circumstances of the accident, but will be suspending payment to Harrison until he is able to resume performing services for the club.”
Bader signed a two-year, $20.5 million contract with the Giants before this season that includes a $4.5 million base salary for this season. He is owed $1.42 million for the remainder of the season.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Bader was involved in a vehicle collision while riding his scooter around 2 a.m. Sunday morning in San Francisco’s Marina District. He was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The 32-year-old Bader was batting .170 with five homers, 14 RBIs and a .557 OPS in 30 games before going on the injured list.
This isn’t the first time Bader has gotten into trouble in a scooter accident. He was suspended in college at Florida in 2014 after he hit a curb and ran into a truck while driving a motorized scooter, according to a report from the Gainesville Sun. He was unresponsive on the ground and, according to the incident report cited, smelled of alcohol.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: Brock Stewart #41 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium on July 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ross Turteltaub/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers on Friday placed Brock Stewart on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder discomfort, and called up veteran left-hander Cole Irvin from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take down bulk innings in the planned bullpen game in the series opener against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium.
Staying on the field has been the issue for the 34-year-old Stewart, who since returning to the majors with the Minnesota Twins in 2023 has been sidelined with right elbow soreness, shoulder tendinitis, a shoulder strain, a left hamstring strain, and shoulder inflammation, while totaling just 101 games and 95 2/3 innings over the last four (nearly) full seasons.
The 32-year-old Irvin, a native of Anaheim, has a 3.58 ERA in 20 starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, with 55 strikeouts and 43 walks in 98 innings. Irvin leads the Pacific Coast League in ERA and wins (nine) this season.
After both Edwin Díaz and Tanner Scott pitched on each of the last two nights, the Dodgers weren’t likely to be able to cover nine innings of a true bullpen game with six mostly traditional relievers. Irvin with the Comets has lasted six innings in eight starts and has completed five or more 14 times in his 20 starts. He last pitched on Saturday, so Irvin against the Red Sox will be pitching on five days of rest.
Irvin earlier this week was slated to start Friday for Oklahoma City before major league needs took precedence.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dodgers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
What do you get the team with the most talent in the sport? We asked you guys, and a new catcher was at the top of the wishlist, taking 47 percent of the votes. Before getting into what that might entail, let’s take a moment to appreciate the absurdity that not a single vote was cast for a position player (outside of catcher) — rightfully so, with no open spot on this roster the team could realistically hope to improve on That and other priorities, of course, while trying to improve its World Series odds.
The remaining 53 percent who didn’t vote for catcher were nearly split between starting and relief pitching. Both units share the exciting prospect of reinforcements on the way or recently arrived, with Edwin Díaz just activated and Blake Snell not far behind him. While any bullpen could always use an extra arm, the starting staff has this looming cloud over it with questions regarding the availability of Shohei Ohtani.
Assessing options on the market for these positions of “need,” with Will Smith’s rehab finally showing promising signs, the Dodgers may very well limit themselves to less splashy options. As we covered before here, Victor Caratini and Ryan Jeffers of the Twins may represent the best targets. A pending free agent, Jeffers wouldn’t cost a king’s ransom, unlike other more exciting controllable catchers, and the veteran Caratini would represent a safety net type of acquisition.
On the starting pitching front, with Eric Lauer thriving since being acquired by the Dodgers and Snell returning, it feels like a Tarik Skubal or bust kind of situation. Sure, there are other options who could prove to be an improvement over what the Dodgers have on the backend of the rotation right now, at least in terms of ceiling, but they’re not particularly likely moves. Unfortunately for the Dodgers, some of the better potentially available relievers at the deadline play for the Padres, making for a difficult deal as San Diego would inevitably prefer to move them to someone else. Everyone might want to talk about Mason Miller as the dream target, but pending free agent Adrian Morejón might be a more feasible acquisition and a great one in his own right.
Whether the target is a starter or a reliever, perhaps the best team to talk with is the Mets. While their record is atrocious, the Mets don’t lack in high-end reliever quality, with Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver pitching great and firmly available. A.J. Minter was also in this group, but he was the first to go, traded to the Twins on Thursday night. In the unlikely scenario the Dodgers want to add a starter not named Skubal, Clay Holmes ticks a lot of boxes, having recently returned from an injury and heading for the open market at the end of the year.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on January 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
LeBron James.
Say that name to anyone, and it’s going to garner a response. Sometimes it will be overwhelmingly positive, and in other scenarios it will be very negative.
Given how long LeBron played for the Lakers, his era had plenty of highs and lows that can alter how one evaluates his time in LA.
The best moment has to be the 2020 title. He got it done and left a legacy. In such a tough situation, he helped LA dominate in the bubble and was named Finals MVP.
The lows have to be the losses.
Despite his All-Star-level play, the Lakers were unable to make it out of the Western Conference again after 2020. They had two losing seasons, three postseason first-round exits, four different head coaches and too much drama to ever count.
Now that the Lakers chapters are completed in the book of LeBron’s career, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans if his time in LA was a success. The answer was an emphatic yes.
Winning matters. It’s so hard to do.
The list of great teams and players who never won it all is enormous, and the number that got it done is finite.
LeBron talked about championships, and he hung a banner inside Crypto.com Arena. He ended the Lakers’ title drought and arrived in LA when the franchise was at a low point.
Thanks to his arrival, they became winners. With LeBron on the Lakers, they attracted stars like Anthony Davis and remained one of the better teams in the NBA.
LeBron left the Lakers better than he found them. If that’s not a success, then I don’t know what is.
Should the Lakers have won more? Maybe.
In hindsight, the Russell Westbrook trade was a disaster. It broke up a team that should’ve been left alone. The blame game involving that move and how much of it falls on the Lakers front office, or LeBron, is still debated today and remains a touchy subject.
Still, the good far outweighed the bad.
He won’t retire a Laker, but he left his mark. Now that it’s done, the only thing left to say is goodbye LeBron, and thanks for the memories.
Now it’s Luka Dončić’s turn. Let’s see what he does with it.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 26: Carson Whisenhunt #88 of the San Francisco Giants pitches at Oracle Park on July 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Godofredo Vásquez/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants continue this four-game road series against the San Diego Padres tonight.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, who enters tonight’s game with a 4.60 ERA, 5.46 FIP, with 13 strikeouts to eight walks in 15.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, in which he allowed four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
He’ll be facing off against Padres right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez, who enters tonight’s game with a 2.33 ERA, 2.67 FIP, with 47 strikeouts to 16 walks in 46.1 innings pitched. His last appearance was in the Padres’ 3-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, in which he allowed just one hit with one strikeout in two thirds of an inning of relief.
BOSTON, MA - JULY 26: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers greets Masataka Yoshida #7 of the Boston Red Sox before their game at Fenway Park on July 26, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to wild, wild weekend in baseball land! Who gets flipped where? What does Craig Breslow do? Can the Sox win ANOTHER series? It all starts tonight!
⚾️ First Pitch: 10:10pm EDT – Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Another McGwire will be playing baseball for the Athletics organization.
The Athletics signed Max McGwire, the son of former MLB slugger and A's icon Mark McGwire, to a minor league contract on Tuesday, July 28. He was assigned to the ACL Athletics (Arizona Complex League) on Friday, July 31.
Max is the latest member of the McGwire family to reach the professional ranks and is listed as a right-handed pitcher on MLB's minor league website.
The A’s will explore the possibility of the 23-year-old Irvine, California native as a power-hitting option and as a first baseman, according to Jason Burke of InsideTheAs.
McGwire began his college baseball career in 2022 at Oklahoma before transferring to San Diego (2024) and finishing at Saint Louis (2025, 2026). He served as a pitcher out of the bullpen for the Billikens in 12 games during the 2026 season, allowing 14 hits, 13 runs (10 earned runs), two home runs and 11 walks in 16.2 innings pitched.
He joins his brother Mason McGwire as an MLB prospect.
Mark McGwire leads baseball family
Mark McGwire is a 12-time MLB All-Star who played for the A’s from 1986 to 1997. He was the 10th overall pick by the A's in the 1984 draft.
McGwire made an immediate impact during his early years while the team was still playing in Oakland. He was named the American League Rookie of the Year in 1987. He was also named an All-Star from 1987-1992. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 1992.
The Pomona, California native was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1997 and finished out his playing career with the club in 2001.
McGwire reunited with the A's organization in February 2026, serving as a special assistant to player development.
He previously served as a bench coach for the San Diego Padres (2017-18) and a hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2013-15) and the Cardinals (2010-12).
Who is Mason McGwire?
Mason McGwire is the younger brother of Max.
The 22-year-old is a member of the Chicago Cubs' farm system and was drafted by the organization in the 8th round of the 2022 MLB draft out of Capistrano Valley High in Mission Viejo, California.
Mason McGwire currently plays with the South Bend Cubs in the Midwest League. He also played for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans earlier this year.
The right-handed pitcher represented the Cubs in the 2026 All-Star Futures Game, entering in the seventh inning and allowing an earned run but also recording a strikeout.
Fondness for "M" first names
Mark McGwire has six children, and all have a first name that starts with the letter M. He has three sons: Matthew, Max and Mason. He also has triplet daughters: Monet Rose, Marlo Rose and Monroe Rose.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 30: Rafael Devers #16 scores on a sacrifice fly hit by Daniel Susac #6 of the San Francisco Giants as Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres is late with the tage during the fifth inning of a game at Petco Park on July 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Francisco Giants (47-62) at San Diego Padres (55-54), July 31, 2026, 6:45 p.m. PST
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And not even an injury to one of their key bullpen arms seems probable to change that this year.
Before Friday’s series-opener against the Boston Red Sox, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Brock Stewart was going on the injured list with a problem in his right shoulder — the same one he had season-ending surgery on last year after arriving as a deadline acquisition.
The move comes amid what’s already been an unsettling stretch from the Dodgers’ relief corps (which has a 23rd-ranked 4.90 ERA in the majors since its historic 38-inning scoreless streak back in May) and its right-handed options especially (Stewart had been the most trustworthy choice there of late, before closer Edwin Díaz returned from his own injury this week).
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that right-hander Brock Stewart was going on the injured list with a problem in his right shoulder Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostAnd not even an injury to one of their key bullpen arms seems probable to change that this year. Getty Images
However, Roberts staunchly downplayed the severity of Stewart’s latest injury; which, pending an MRI scheduled for Saturday, the skipper repeatedly insisted is expected to be short-term.
“This is just more of a formality,” Roberts said, in part since it allowed the club to call up triple-A starter Cole Irvin to contribute to Friday’s planned bullpen game. “I really believe, the training staff believes, that it’s going to be short term.”
According to a source with knowledge of the team’s plans, the development is not expected to change the front office’s relative lack of urgency to add to its bullpen before Monday’s deadline, either.
Internally, though, the two-time defending champions are confident in the state of their unit.
However, Roberts staunchly downplayed the severity of Stewart’s latest injury; which, pending an MRI scheduled for Saturday, the skipper repeatedly insisted is expected to be short-term. Getty Images
Díaz’s fastball has looked improved in two outings since returning from the injured list. Evan Phillips’ stuff has also played up since returning from Tommy John surgery, albeit while showing some rust with command.
Edgardo Henriquez — who was the opener for Friday’s series-opener against the Red Sox — has largely been steady, despite the resurgence of some of his own command issues lately.
And though Will Klein has endured a midseason slump, more help could be on the way in the form of Blake Treinen and Ben Casparius (who are both on the IL but making progress toward their own returns).
Come the playoffs, the Dodgers figure to be able to reallocate resources from the starting rotation, too.
Last year, each of Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki shifted to relief roles in October.
According to a source with knowledge of the team’s plans, the development is not expected to change the front office’s relative lack of urgency to add to its bullpen before Monday’s deadline, either. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The health of the Dodgers’ rotation, of course, could impact that part of the plan.
However, the Dodgers are optimistic about each of their recoveries.
Snell said Friday he will make one final minor-league rehab start next week before being activated, and that his arm feels better than it has in years following a procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow back in May.
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Glasnow, meanwhile, could be on the verge of beginning his own rehab assignment, having twice faced hitters in live batting practice in recent weeks as he works his way back from a back spasm issue that has sidelined him since May.
Ohtani’s next steps as a pitcher are more unclear. But his ailing knee felt good enough to return to the Dodgers’ lineup as designated hitter on Friday; after he missed Thursday’s game with a flare-up of soreness.
Over the years, there have been three players to wear the number 62 for the San Jose Sharks, but for more than half a decade, it belonged to Kevin Labanc.
Labanc originally joined the Sharks organization as a sixth-round pick out of the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts in the 2014 NHL Draft. The Staten Island native then made his professional debuts at both the NHL and American Hockey League level during the 2016-17 season.
Labanc then remained with the Sharks through the 2023-24 season. That summer, he entered unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career and signed a short-term deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
When his stint came to an end, Labanc totaled 478 games played, 82 goals, and 225 points during his time in San Jose.
After one year in Columbus, Labanc went overseas and signed with the Shanghai Dragons of the Kontinental Hockey League. After one season in the KHL, Labanc signed a contract with the SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in the Swiss National League earlier this summer.
It remains to be seen if we’ll ever see Labanc back in the NHL, but regardless, he’s continuing an impressive career over in Europe.
