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Reds activate Diaz, McLain and Hays off injured list ahead of series opener against Mariners

CINCINNATI (AP) — The surging Cincinnati Reds will have all their key players for the first time this season after making a series of roster moves before Tuesday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

The Reds activated right-hander Alexis Diaz, infielder Matt McLain and outfielder Austin Hays. Cincinnati goes into the three-game series with Seattle after wins in five of its last six, including its first series sweep of the season this past weekend against Pittsburgh.

Diaz, who was dealing with a left hamstring strain since the start of spring training, made a pair of rehab appearances in Triple A Louisville last week. He was projected to be the team’s closer going into the season, but Emilio Pagán has converted all four of his save opportunities and has a 1.23 ERA in eight games.

McLain missed last year with a shoulder injury but got off to a strong start this season with home runs in three of his first four games. He went on the IL retroactive to April 5 with a slight left hamstring strain after going 1 for 12 in four April games.

McLain will play second base and is batting second in Tuesday’s game.

Hays will make his Reds debut at designated hitter and bat fifth. He missed the first 16 games with a left calf strain that occurred on the final day of spring training.

Hays signed a one-year, $5 million deal Cincinnati during the offseason after spending last season with Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Outfielder Jacob Hurtubise and infielder Noelvi Marte were optioned to Louisville to make way for McLain and Hays. Diaz takes the roster spot that opened after left-hander Sam Moll was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday due to left shoulder impingement.

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Harper and Realmuto homer, Bohm and Marsh drive in runs in Phillies win

Harper and Realmuto homer, Bohm and Marsh drive in runs in Phillies win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It wasn’t an explosion, it wasn’t a perfect game, but all the Phillies have needed over the past week has been a timely knock or two and they finally came in a 6-4 win over the Giants.

The Phils entered the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday night trailing by a run and had made an out in 41 of their last 44 at-bats with a runner in scoring position, hitting .068 since Thursday. They’d lost five of seven. They had two hitters at the bottom of the order, Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh, slumping so badly that Bohm was dropped four spots in the lineup last week and Marsh was benched in Monday’s series opener.

Despite going a combined 1-for-7 on Tuesday night, both Bohm and Marsh came through, accounting for a pair of RBI in a two-run win. Marsh put a sweet swing on a low-and-in slider from Justin Verlander for a sacrifice fly in the second inning, and Bohm delivered a two-out RBI single to give the Phillies a lead in the seventh.

Twice earlier in the night, Bohm came up with a man in scoring position and was unable to drive him in, grounding out to second with a man on second and grounding into an inning-ending double play with runners on the corners in the fourth. This has been a grueling stretch for both Bohm and Marsh and the Phillies hope the duo has already reached rock bottom. There’s really only one direction either can go given how rough the first three weeks have been.

Bryce Harper made a close game more comfortable with a towering two-run homer on a 3-0 count in the seventh, his third of the year. This was a difficult night to drive a ball. The wind was swirling upwards of 20 mph at first pitch, and by the end of the first inning, Trea Turner had flung his bat into the netting beyond third base, rain clouds had rendered Center City invisible and roughly 1,000 fan scorecards had made their way onto the field.

The elements subsided as the game went on but still made a difference. In the bottom of the seventh, J.T. Realmuto popped a ball up to medium left field but Heliot Ramos was unable to track it down as it danced in the wind. It fell in to tie the game.

Four innings earlier, Ramos hit a soft infield fly with a man on first just over Harper’s head but it changed direction multiple times in the air and eluded Harper’s mitt. The first baseman didn’t panic, though, picking up the ball up and calmly firing to second for the force-out.

The conditions made Realmuto’s second-inning home run to left-center field, directly into the wind, even more impressive. It was Realmuto’s first at-bat since a frustrating called strike three ended the Phillies’ seventh inning Monday night with two men on and two out, down four runs. The pitch Realmuto was rung up on Monday was well off the plate and he let home plate umpire Tony Randazzo know about it.

There was more frustration on Tuesday after the Phillies relinquished an early lead for the second straight night, gave the Giants costly free bases and ran into two outs on the basepaths themselves. The Giants tied the game in the top of the fourth after slow-footed Matt Chapman and Wilmer Flores executed a double-steal on Jesus Luzardo’s first move to the plate. It was the third time already in the game that the Giants ran on Luzardo’s first move but the first two pitches were fouled off. They seemed to have something on him. Luzardo’s next pitch after the double steal was lined into left field by Casey Schmitt for a two-run single. When the Giants later took the lead briefly in the sixth, a run scored on a groundout just after Orion Kerkering threw a wild pitch to advance him to third.

The Phils went ahead with four singles in the bottom of the sixth and received an important shutdown inning from Jordan Romano. The first-year Phillie seems to be settling in — he’s faced the minimum nine batters over his last three outings, allowing just one baserunner.

Jose Alvarado had a dicey eighth inning, allowing three straight singles to the top of the Giants’ order but recovered with a popup, strikeout and flyout to the warning track. Matt Strahm closed it out as the Phillies improved to 10-7.

Wednesday’s assignment goes to Aaron Nola, who is 0-3 with a 5.51 ERA and looking to find a rhythm himself.

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Which Chicago Wolves Could Be Playing In Carolina's Final Regular Season Games?

Apr 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Justin Robidas (46) celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes have just two regular season games remaining on their schedule and much like the past few games, they also really don't matter in terms of results.

The Canes have been locked into a first-round matchup with the New Jersey Devils for quite a while now and as such, they've been able to rest a variety of players as of late.

Wednesday and Thursday's stops in Canada aren't going to be the exception either.

The Hurricanes are approaching full health in terms of everyone having the ability to play, but according to coach Rod Brind'Amour, there's quite a few guys who are still nursing stuff.

So in turn, we're probably more than likely going to see some callups from the AHL fairly soon, especially since Alexander Nikishin isn't going to make it in time.

So which Chicago Wolves could we see this week?

Teams are allowed just four AHL callups following the trade deadline (excluding emergency callups) and unless I'm mistaken, I believe only Scott Morrow counts against that number, meaning the team can callup three more players.

Forwards

Bradly Nadeau
30g, 56pts, 63gp

The Wolves' leading scorer has earned the opportunity for another NHL game. Nadeau made his NHL debut at the end of last season, so it'd be just another taste of what eventually will almost certainly be his future.

Bradly Nadeau Scores 30th AHL Goal, Joins Exclusive ListBradly Nadeau Scores 30th AHL Goal, Joins Exclusive ListCarolina Hurricanes forward Bradly Nadeau joined a very exclusive list of players last night, becoming just the sixth AHL U20 player since 1940 — and third in the last 50 years — to score 30 goals in a season.

Juha Jaaska
11g, 31pts, 50gp

Jaaska has the most NHL experience out of the current slate of Wolves forwards, having played 18 games with the Hurricanes this season. He's familiar with the team and can slot in well without much problem.

Justin Robidas
18g, 49pts, 67gp

The most recent callup, Robidas played well in his two games with Carolina, producing in each, despite the team losing. He's a workhorse and has showed just why he is deserving of an opportunity to play in the NHL.

Ryan Suzuki
11g, 56pts, 66gp

Suzuki has been a good soldier for a while now and finally got to make his NHL debut this year after being drafted in 2019. Also, playing on Wednesday would be an exceptionally special moment for him and his family too given that it would be in Montreal against his brother, Nick.

Skyler Brind'Amour
16g, 23pts, 67gp

These kinds of games are perfect for players to have the chance to make NHL debuts and what better than for the Brind'Amours to share another moment together.

Josiah Slavin
11g, 20pts, 63gp

We mentioned one family connection, so why not another?

Felix Unger Sorum
5g, 20pts, 59gp

It hasn't been the most productive season for Unger Sorum. There were high hopes for the young forward heading into the year after a few eye-popping preseason appearances and WJC, but the production just hasn't been there. But perhaps a higher level of teammates can bring out the best in the Swede.

Defensemen

Riley Stillman
3g, 9pts, 35gp

Stillman has been one of the team's most consistent callups over the course of the season even though he only played in three games with the Canes. Plenty of practice time and flight miles may pay off with a couple more games.

Ty Smith
5g, 26pts, 33gp

The other side of the callup circus from this season, Smith has been a steady producer in the AHL this season and could be the guy to come up given that he has a good amount of NHL experience.

Domenick Fensore
9g, 32pts, 66gp

Fensore has had a strong sophomore season with Chicago playing and producing on both the power play and penalty kill as well. A kid who's put the time in, if the team is looking to reward hard-working guys, he's definitely an option.

Joakim Ryan
2g, 7pts, 56gp

Ryan hasn't played in the NHL since 2021, but has 145 games of NHL experience under his belt. These final games could be a good chance to give a veteran one last taste of the big leagues.

Goalies

Spencer Martin
18-7-2, 0.908 Sv%, 2.38 GAA

If the Canes want to give a netminder the day off, the only real callup that makes sense is Martin. However, the way the past few games have gone for Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, I'd want them to have the chance to put up a better performance heading into the playoffs.

Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.      

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Brady Tkachuk Nominated For King Clancy Memorial Trophy For Third Straight Year

Back in the 1920s, King Clancy was the beloved captain of the Ottawa Senators, known for his scoring ability, leadership, and toughness. Almost 100 years later, current Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, who shares those same virtues, seems like the perfect choice to be nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.

In fact, it’s the third straight year – and fourth time in six years – that Tkachuk has received this nomination.

Nov 12, 2024: Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) celebrates a win with goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) against the Toronto Maple Leafs (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images).

The trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. All of it fits Tkachuk to a T—especially if you’ve ever seen him engaging with fans.

Two years ago, Tkachuk and his wife Emma launched the “Tkachuk’s Captains” campaign in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club. They also started the T7 clothing line, with proceeds going to the Senators Community Foundation to benefit BGC Ottawa. Both the T7 clothing line and the Brady Burger were created to support these charitable efforts.

In January, Tkachuk hosted “Brady’s Skate for Kids” at the City Hall Rink of Dreams, where kids from BGC Ottawa got to hang out with him and enjoy a day of skating and pizza.

There’s no question about the 25-year-old’s impact on the ice either—he’s tallied 55 points, including 29 goals, while treating opponents like bowling pins most nights. Though he’ll miss his eighth straight game on Tuesday night, he’s expected to be ready for Game One of the playoffs in a few days.

While King Clancy has been gone a long time, there’s little doubt he’d be thrilled to see someone like Tkachuk being considered for the trophy that bears his name.

Here’s the full list of players that Tkachuk will be up against.

Anaheim Ducks: Radko Gudas

Boston Bruins: Charlie McAvoy

Buffalo Sabres: Alex Tuch

Calgary Flames: Jonathan Huberdeau

Carolina Hurricanes: Jordan Staal

Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Murphy

Colorado Avalanche: Devon Toews

Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski

Dallas Stars: Matt Duchene

Detroit Red Wings: Jeff Petry

Edmonton Oilers: Darnell Nurse

Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov

Los Angeles Kings: Kevin Fiala

Minnesota Wild: Frederick Gaudreau

Montreal Canadiens: Nick Suzuki

Nashville Predators: Ryan O'Reilly

New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes

New York Islanders: Matt Martin

New York Rangers: Adam Fox

Philadelphia Flyers: Garnet Hathaway

Pittsburgh Penguins: Kevin Hayes

San Jose Sharks: Mario Ferraro

Seattle Kraken: Jaden Schwartz

St. Louis Blues: Colton Parayko

Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman

Toronto Maple Leafs: Mitch Marner

Utah Hockey Club: Alex Kerfoot

Vancouver Canucks: Quinn Hughes

Vegas Golden Knights: Jack Eichel

Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson

Winnipeg Jets: Adam Lowry

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2025 NBA Draft Lottery odds: Jazz, Wizards, Hornets have best chance at No. 1

2025 NBA Draft Lottery odds: Jazz, Wizards, Hornets have best chance at No. 1 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

One NBA team’s trajectory is about to change for the good.

While the 2024 draft didn’t have one — or multiple — clear-cut potential No. 1 picks, this year’s class is slightly different.

Duke star Cooper Flagg is easily the big prize this year, while Rutgers boasts two potential top-three picks in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. Flagg’s freshman Duke teammate Kon Knueppel and Baylor’s freshman guard V.J. Edgecombe also pose credible top-five options.

But which teams will be in the mix for these talents and more, and what will the draft order be? Here’s what to know about the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery odds:

Who will pick first in the 2025 NBA Draft?

The draft lottery odds are sorted with the teams with the worst records leading the way. This season saw the Utah Jazz (17-65), Washington Wizards (18-64) and Charlotte Hornets (17-63) finish with the worst three records. The New Orleans Pelicans (21-61) and Philadelphia 76ers (24-58) round out the top five.

2025 NBA Draft Lottery odds with ties included

The Jazz, Wizards, Hornets, Pelicans and 76ers may have the best odds, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Here’s a look at this year’s odds with ties included, via Tankathon:

Team1234567891011121314AVG
Jazz14.013.412.712.047.93.7
Wizards14.013.412.712.027.820.03.9
Hornets14.013.412.712.014.826.07.04.1
Pelicans12.512.211.911.57.225.716.82.24.4
76ers10.510.510.610.52.219.626.78.70.65.0
Nets9.09.29.49.68.629.720.63.70.25.5
Raptors7.57.88.18.519.734.112.91.3>0.06.2
Spurs6.06.36.77.234.532.06.80.4>0.07.0
Suns3.84.14.54.950.728.33.50.1>0.08.2
Trail Blazers3.74.04.44.863.418.51.2>0.0>0.09.0
Heat2.02.22.42.877.612.60.4>0.010.3
Mavericks1.31.41.61.886.17.60.111.5
Bulls1.21.31.51.792.02.312.4
Kings0.50.60.60.797.613.7

For Philadelphia, however, its first rounder could go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls outside of the top six. The Thunder acquired the pick in 2020 in a trade that involved Terrance Ferguson, Danny Green and Vincent Poirier, among others.

The Phoenix Suns are also set to lose their lottery pick due to the Houston Rockets having the rights to a pick swap. The Brooklyn Nets used to own that right in the Kevin-Durant-to-Suns trade, but it went to the Rockets in a complex draft picks deal in the summer of 2024.

2025 NBA Draft Lottery odds without ties

Here’s how the odds shape up without ties, via Tankathon:

Team1234567891011121314AVG
Jazz14.013.412.712.047.93.7
Wizards14.013.412.712.027.820.03.9
Hornets14.013.412.712.014.826.07.04.1
Pelicans12.512.211.911.57.225.716.72.24.4
76ers10.510.510.610.52.219.626.78.70.65.0
Nets9.09.29.49.68.629.820.53.70.15.5
Raptors7.57.88.18.519.734.112.91.3>0.06.2
Spurs6.06.36.77.234.532.16.70.4>0.07.0
Suns4.54.85.25.750.725.93.00.1>0.08.0
Trail Blazers3.03.33.64.065.919.01.2>0.0>0.09.2
Heat2.02.22.42.877.612.60.4>0.010.3
Mavericks1.51.71.92.186.16.70.111.5
Bulls1.01.11.21.492.92.312.5
Kings0.50.60.60.797.613.7

When is the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery?

The 2025 lottery will be held on Monday, May 12.

When is the 2025 NBA Draft?

Now split into two nights, the first round of the 2025 draft will take place on Wednesday, June 25. The second round will follow on Thursday, June 26.

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Mets starters shine, Jose Siri out, and Pete Alonso keeps raking | The Mets Pod

Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are back with a new episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, as the Mets continue their strong start.

Connor and Joe look at the strength of the bullpen, the early impact of Kodai Senga, and share some injury updates for guys like Jose Siri and Francisco Alvarez.

Later, the guys go Down on the Farm to check in on Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams, preview Ronny Mauricio's long-awaited return to action, do another round of The Scoreboard bets, and answer Mailbag questions about Eli Serrano III and the Mets' struggles with runners in scoring position.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Giants' sixth-inning Verlander decision backfires in loss to Phillies

Giants' sixth-inning Verlander decision backfires in loss to Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

PHILADELPHIA — On the first night of this Giants road trip, Robbie Ray picked up a win despite pitching just four innings, a rarity that was possible only because the game was called early when a storm arrived. On the first night in Philadelphia, Landen Roupp gave up three runs in the first and nearly got knocked out, but he walked away with the win after the Giants rallied.

This is a fun time to be a Giants starting pitcher, and the rotation already has seven wins during this surprisingly strong start. But somehow the winningest active pitcher in baseball still is looking for his first in orange and black. 

Justin Verlander picked up his first decision as a Giant, but it was a loss after a shaky sixth inning put the Giants behind for good. They fell 6-4 to the Philadelphia Phillies, and it was easy to pinpoint where the game turned. 

With the Giants leading 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Verlander gave up back-to-back one-out singles. Randy Rodriguez, who has been as good as any reliever in the NL early on, was warming up, but manager Bob Melvin stuck with Verlander. 

A catchable fly ball to left field tied the game. Two batters later, Alec Bohm lined a 95-mph fastball onto the grass to bring the go-ahead run home. Melvin said repeatedly after the loss that he wanted to give Verlander a shot to finish and get out of the jam. 

“I wanted to give him a chance there,” Melvin said. “The inning before was probably his best inning.”

Verlander was at 84 pitches after a 1-2-3 fifth. In his mind, there was no doubt about what was ahead. 

“If I’m at 84 through five, that should be my inning,” Verlander said of the sixth. 

The decisions came when the Phillies threatened right away in the sixth. Melvin stuck with Verlander against J.T. Realmuto, who already had homered, and for a moment it appeared that would pay off. Realmuto hit a fly ball to left that was in the air for 5.6 seconds, but Heliot Ramos was playing all the way over in the gap in left-center. That’s where the Giants have played Realmuto all series, and that’s exactly where his homer went. 

The fly ball, though, landed much closer to the line. Ramos ran 108 feet, but his slide came up short. 

“I thought I had it. I was playing in the gap and I tried my best,” Ramos said. “The wind took it. I didn’t know what to do right there.”

The single tied the game, and Max Kepler followed with a liner to short that nearly led to an inning-ending double play. Again, Melvin had a decision to make, but he stuck with Verlander. His 104th pitch was knocked into left for a fourth Phillies run, and the Giants never caught up. 

“The decision was after Kepler lined out,” Melvin said. “The ball that falls in left field, he makes a good pitch and it just ended up falling. It was after the Kepler at-bat that I had a decision to make and I gave him one more guy.”

Verlander ended up getting charged with four runs on eight hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He’ll carry a 6.75 ERA into his next start, although the peripheral numbers say he has pitched much better than that. Verlander has a 4.75 FIP and 4.52 xFIP, but it’s hard to lean on expected statistics too much when you’re still waiting to join the early-season party.

“You find yourself in a situation where the team gives you a chance to win and then you give up a couple singles that aren’t really well-struck, and the wheels kind of fall off a little bit. It’s tough. It’s tough,” Verlander said. “I’m just being tested here. I’m not sure why I’m being tested so hard, but I’ll keep working hard and trying to make my pitches.

“I’ll do everything I can do and just try to make pitches and try to get guys not to hit the ball hard and let the results happen.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Golden Knights Resting Multiple Key Players Tonight Against Flames

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) celebrates with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7), Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61), and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) after scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the third period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights will rest multiple players tonight against the Calgary Flames, those being Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Alex Pietrangelo, Noah Hanifin and Adin Hill. 

Eichel has missed the previous three games with an upper-body injury but returned to practice yesterday for the first time. He was joined by Pietrangelo, who will also miss his third consecutive game with an injury and illness. The 35-year-old will miss his 11th game this season, scoring four goals and 33 points. 

Stone and Hanifin will be out tonight for what's being called rest. The pair have been healthy as of late, neither dealing with any injury issues. Hanifin has played in all 80 games this season, scoring 10 goals and 39 points. 

Stone has missed 14 games, enjoying another point-per-game season. The 66 games he's played are the most he's played during his Golden Knights tenure. 

Hill will unsurprisingly not dress tonight after missing practice yesterday. The 28-year-old has played 50 games this season, eclipsing his career-high of 35 which he set in the 2023-24 season. 

With Hill resting, Ilya Samsonov will make his return to the crease, making his first appearance since Mar. 29. Akira Schmid will back up Samsonov tonight. 

Alexander Holtz, Ben Hutton and Kaedan Korczak will all remain or rejoin the lineup tonight with the plethora of scratches. 

"We want to play well, we want to win a couple games," said HC Bruce Cassidy. "That's what we're preparing to do... we want to be as prepared as possible for game one, so that's what we're looking forward to."

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Five Golden Knights Players Return To PracticeFive Golden Knights Players Return To PracticeJack Eichel, Alex Pietrangelo, Nicolas Hague, Victor Olofsson and Ilya Samsonov all returned to the Vegas Golden Knights' practice today. Cassidy Has Good Reason To Consider Load Management For Certain Knights In Last Two Games Cassidy Has Good Reason To Consider Load Management For Certain Knights In Last Two Games LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights are Pacific Division champs, they'll host a Wild Card team starting Easter Sunday and barring a casualty in the first round, will host a second-round series, too.
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Tim Washe Signs ELC With Anaheim, Will Make NHL Debut Against Minnesota

Apr 12, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Western Michigan Broncos forward Tim Washe (16) is presented the national championship trophy after Western Michigan defeated the Boston University Terriers to win the Frozen Four college ice hockey national championship at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Anaheim Ducks’ lineup will have a new face when they take on the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. After signing his entry-level contract (ELC) on Monday, former Western Michigan Bronco Tim Washe is expected to make his NHL debut, per NHL.com’s Jessi Pierce and Ducks Stream’s Alexis Downie.

Fresh off winning both the NCHC Championship and the NCAA Championsip as Western Michigan’s captain, Washe will slot into the Ducks’ fourth line. Who he plays with is still unclear, as he skated with Isac Lundeström, Jansen Harkins and Brett Leason during morning skate, per Downie.

Jocob Trouba Suggests Ducks Haven't Turned the Corner the Standings IndicateJocob Trouba Suggests Ducks Haven't Turned the Corner the Standings IndicateMuch of the discussion surrounding the 2024-25 Anaheim Ducks has centered on their significant jump in the standings from the previous two seasons.

Named the NCHC’s Best Defensive Forward for the 2024-25 season, Washe is a faceoff wizard. His prowess in the dot will aid the Ducks, who are dead-last in the league in faceoff percentage. Mason McTavish is the only regular faceoff taker with a faceoff percentage of 50 percent or higher.

Because of his age, Washe’s ELC only goes through the 2024-25 season, which means he will be a restricted free agent (RFA) at the end of this season. The allure of being able to get into an NHL lineup right away may have been a swaying point for coming to Anaheim, as many teams were rumored to be interested in the undrafted Washe’s services.

Like Washe, Lundeström is an RFA this summer. He has proven to be a reliable defensive forward and has been a staple on the penalty kill for the Ducks. However, his offensive ceiling is lacking. With players like Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry and Cutter Gauthier factoring into the penalty kill more often, Lundeström’s role could be squeezed out. 

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-2 Loss to the Avalanche

Report: Rumored Zegras to Canadiens Trade at 2024 Draft Clarified

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Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez shows learning curve in left field

NEW YORK — The Martian is tracking down fly balls on Mother Earth.

Maligned for dubious defense when the New York Yankees first moved him to left field last year, Jasson Dominguez made their best catch of the early season when he robbed Salvador Perez of an extra-base hit in a 4-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Dominguez leaping, backhand grab at the warning track of Perez’s 106.4 mph, 347-foot drive had a 60% catch probability, according to MLB Statcast. That was the lowest of any Yankees catch this season.

“Got a good jump on it, the speed, the action of the ball,” Dominguez said. “At that point, you don’t even know how tough. You just come get it.”

He added a running catch to the glove side on the warning track of Jonathan India’s 102.9 mph shot in the sixth.

“Those are two really good ones. What I like is the ease in the routes and the ease that he’s getting to those balls,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I feel like that’s where he’s really — even since the start of the season, I feel like he’s grown and just the right footwork, the right move to the ball, and that’s when you’re going to start to see his range with his speed show up.”

Nicknamed “El Marciano” as a teenager in the Dominican Republic for his out-of-this-world talent, Domínguez signed with the Yankees as a 16-year-old in 2019 for a $5.1 million bonus.

A center fielder as he moved through the minors, he made an instant impact at the plate two years ago. But following his shift to left, Dominguez's defensive struggles in left made highlight shows in 2024 and ’25.

“He talks about winning a Gold Glove,” said Luis Rojas, the Yankees third base and outfield coach. “I think he has the tools to do it and we just got to keep working.”

The switch-hitting Dominguez was promoted to the Yankees on Sept. 1, 2023, and became the fifth-youngest player to homer in his first plate appearance, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He had four homers and seven RBIs in his first eight games, then tore a ligament in his right elbow and had Tommy John surgery that Sept. 20.

He returned to the minors last May 14, but was sidelined between June 15 and July 26 by an oblique strain and was limited to two homers and four RBIs in 18 late-season games with New York. He made 13 appearances in left field and four in center, and struggled to a minus-3 Outs Above Average, according to Statcast.

Dominguez reported early to spring training and worked on defense at the Yankees minor league complex with minor league outfield and infield coordinator Dan Fiorito and minor league infield and outfielder coordinator Ryan Hunt. Dominguez was criticized by Yankees fans when he lost Colt Keith’s fly ball in the sun on Feb. 23 against Detroit, then let Andy Ibanez’s shot one inning later drop for an RBI scoring double. A ball by Philadelphia’s Edmundo Sosa fell for an RBI double on Feb. 27.

“It didn’t look great. There was a little noise about it,” Rojas said.

Adjusting to left was a slow process. Boone said Dominguez would be fine with time as he learned to judge balls.

“Left field is nothing like center field. Center field you get less action,” Rojas said. “The sound. The exit velo(city), those things, the more accurate he’s going to be with his reads and the routes and the angles that he needs to take to the ball according to a kind of action the ball is going have off the bat.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr. understood what Domínguez was going through. An All-Star second baseman in 2022, Chisholm was moved to center field by Miami from 2023 until he was traded last summer to the Yankees, who shifted him to third and then moved him back to second this spring training.

“You hear a crack of the bat and you might think it’s 110 miles per hour and it’s 86 miles per hour,” he said. “It’s making that adjustment with your eyes and always being ready out there. I would say that and first step.”

Dominguez is hitting .229 with one homer and five RBIs. Boone has removed him for a defensive replacement or pinch hitter in five of 12 left-field starts.

Dominguez's Outs Above Average has improved to 0 this season and the latest game boosted his defense from the 18th to 36th percentile. He’s confident he will get better.

“I had a tough moment at first,” Dominguez said, “but I knew with the reps it would be good.”

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Blue Jackets Must Beat Flyers To Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

© Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

The Columbus Blue Jackets have done the impossible — they’ve battled back and now have a real chance at making the playoffs. 

Over the last week, they’ve avoided elimination with some strong wins, along with help from the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Chicago Blackhawks, who all beat the Canadiens in their last three games.

If the Blue Jackets can beat the Philadelphia Flyers tonight, they’ll move to just one point behind the Canadiens.

The Canadiens play the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow night. If they win, the Blue Jackets will officially be eliminated. However, if they lose, it sets up a chance for Columbus to jump them in the standings — if they can win their final game on Thursday against the New York Islanders.

It all starts with a win tonight. Failure to do so means the end of their unbelievable push for the postseason. All eyes will be on the game tonight against the Flyers.

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