Nandy: ‘As a fan myself, I share fans’ disappointment’
The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has urged administrators to strike a deal to allow this autumn’s Rugby League World Cup to be shown on a free-to-air broadcast after it was announced the event would be shown in the United Kingdom exclusively on subscription TV.
The BBC’s longstanding relationship with the sport has led to it consistently showing the Rugby League World Cup irrespective of where and when the tournament has been held. But that tradition will seemingly end this autumn, after it was confirmed the broadcaster would not bid for the rights to show the event, which will be held in Australia.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 05: Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) watches from the dugout during the Pittsburgh Pirates versus Washington Nationals Major League Baseball (MLB) game on June 5, 2026 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are finally getting healthy, though it might be just too little, too late.
After getting some positive news on Oneil Cruz, the Pirates are on tap to get Konnor Griffin back in approximately three weeks, according to MLB.com.
Griffin went on the 6o-day IL with a left ring finger injury and is eligible to return on September 4. Griffin tore his left ring finger sagittal band and forced him to wear a splint for six weeks. Pirates Senior Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk gave some positive injury news on Griffin, a much needed change of pace from the seemingly never-ending cycle of players missing time.
“Not surprisingly, Konnor’s a little bit ahead of schedule,” Tomcyk told the media this week. “He has been cleared to transition out of the splints that you’ve seen him in. You will still see his hand taped, and that’s part of this transition phase.”
The original timeline for Griffin’s return put him more likely to return around mid-September, so it’s encouraging to see that he is progressing towards full baseball activities.
Over the next 48-72 hours, you’ll see him putting his hand in the glove,“ Tomczyk said. ”You’ll see him gripping the bat fully.”
Griffin suffered the injury on July 5 against the Washington Nationals, just eight games after returning from an elbow injury. The 20-year-old rookie’s season that was full of promise has been cut short with two lengthy injuries that hasn’t allowed the staff or fan base to see Griffin’s full potential at the major league level.
In 59 games, Griffin is slashing .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS. He owns 10 doubles, five home runs, and 25 RBIs over 225 at-bats.
The speedy shortstop has stolen 20 bases and was on pace to steal over 40 bags as a rookie.
If he does return on time, Griffin will return to the team when the Pirates host the LA Angels at PNC Park.
The NBA rumor mill never stops, and the latest smoke concerns one of the purest scorers of this generation.
Year One of Kevin Durant on the Houston Rockets proved to be “frustrating and disappointing,” in the words of general manager Rafael Stone. Houston won 52 games, but was bounced in the first round of the postseason, after injuries took their toll.
That has led to Durant, who will turn 38 in late September, to pop up on the rumor mill as a potential trade candidate. This, however, should be taken merely as the work of high speculation from the corners of NBA message boards.
For the Rockets, this entire offseason was essentially the anticipation of the return of point guard Fred VanVleet, who missed the entire 2025-26 campaign with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Point guard was the biggest weakness for the Rockets, and competent play at the position should take considerable pressure off of Durant to be the one to create offense. Houston tried several different options at point guard. From Amen Thompson in the regular season opener against the Thunder, to Reed Sheppard later in the year, Houston could not find a consistent facilitator.
That led to Durant playing on ball more than coach Ime Udoka wanted, and it also led to frequent offensive stagnation.
The reality is the Rockets can still field an interesting and competitive team this season, so there simply is no incentive to bail on Durant — at least not yet.
Houston will also return backup center Steven Adams, and Durant himself missed five of Houston’s six games in that first-round series loss against the Lakers.
“We think the players in our locker room can win a lot of games and can be very competitive,” Stone said in May. “We have players coming back from injury; they will help us. If we bring back, largely, the same group, I think continuity will help us.”
All this to say: don’t expect the Rockets to move Durant.
No major outlet or NBA insider has reported anything about Durant being on the trading block. The only reason his name has come up in the rumor mill is because fans have conjured highly speculative potential trades involving him, most of which — frankly — make no sense at all.
Durant has one more season left on his contract and also has a player option worth $46.1 million for 2027-28. He averaged 26 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game across 78 appearances last season. He is still a steady scoring threat, though it’s clear he needs more help and facilitation at this stage of his career.
VanVleet should stabilize play-making and should get even more out of Durant. Houston still needs Thompson, Sheppard and forwards Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason to develop further. Center Alperen Şengün has to continue playing within the system.
But the Rockets did not ship all those assets (Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, the 2025 No. 10 overall pick and five second-round selections) to simply pull the plug on Durant after one injury-riddled season.
Now, should Houston’s season absolutely implode and should it become clear that this roster is not in position to compete, the Rockets may then consider moving Durant before the February trading deadline to recoup assets. But if this hypothetical goes down, it’s likely because Durant is either injured or has drastically underperformed, either of which would lower his value, anyway.
And though he’s in the sunset of his career, Durant has been far too consistent for that to feasibly be an option.
It’s always a challenge to incorporate an elite star into a new system. Often, it takes time for these new teammates to jell. That’s only magnified when key injuries rob a team of its identity.
This is the time of the year when hoops fans are starved for any news or juicy trade scenarios. Treat anything you see about Durant as just that.
TALKING STICK, AZ - OCTOBER 16: Jared Thomas #14 of the Salt River Rafters bats during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday, October 16, 2025 in Talking Stick, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Jared Thomas (Pre-Season PuRP No. 5) knew something was wrong with his hand last fall. He also knew it wasn’t stopping him.
“It started off during the Fall League last year,” Thomas said. “Knew I had something going in my hand. We didn’t really quite know what it was, but it wasn’t bothering me too much, or enough for me not to play. So played through it.”
Two days after the Arizona Fall League ended, he stayed in the desert and got imaging done. The hook of the hamate in his right wrist was broken. Thomas and the Colorado Rockies addressed it quickly.
“We knocked that surgery out, got to go home, took a little time off,” Thomas said. “Got back to swinging a bat after about three, four weeks, and then the progression just never got any better.”
He arrived at spring training as a non-roster invitee and was shut down almost immediately.
“Didn’t take very many swings, and then when we thought the time was right to start swinging again, it still had some pain in there, and we didn’t really know quite what was going on,” he said.
So he went back to Dr. Donald Sheridan — “one of the best hand specialists in the country,” as Thomas describes him — for a second look. More CT scans. More MRIs. And a second diagnosis.
“Found out there was some bone growth on my metacarpal bone in the top of my hand,” Thomas said. “So he went in there and cleaned out a bone spur. And after that surgery, which was in March, April, somewhere there — then the clock gets reset back to six to eight weeks.”
Two surgeries. Two recoveries. The Rockies’ second-round pick in 2024, coming off a season that made him the organization’s position player of the year, did not play a professional game until the middle of summer.
He is playing now. And in 11 games back between the complex league and Double-A Hartford, he is hitting .361 with a homer, a triple, and two doubles.
“You’ve got to give yourself some grace”
There’s a difference between a wrist that’s healed and a swing that feels like yours. Thomas doesn’t pretend otherwise.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’m there yet, but I’m damn close,” he said. “There’s been a lot of time spent at the complex revamping the swing, and trying to get back to your normal self after not swinging a bat or being out for five, six months. It’s tough, man.”
Ask what he took from the months away, and he doesn’t reach for anything about mechanics.
“You’ve got to give yourself some grace,” Thomas said. “That’s probably the biggest thing I learned with my time away from the game. You’ve got to give yourself some grace, especially coming back.”
What hasn’t wavered is the part underneath it.
“Ultimately, I know the caliber player I am,” he said. “I know deep down in my heart that I’m going to play in the big leagues. So just controlling what I can control on a day-to-day basis — that’s the biggest deal.”
He is not, at the moment, thinking about a September call or next year’s depth chart. He’s thinking about the club he was sent back to.
“Coming out and being able to get shipped back to Hartford and help these guys, hopefully win a championship in the Eastern League — that’s a big deal,” Thomas said. “We’re going to go give this Eastern League championship a shot for sure.”
JARED THOMAS GOES YARD! 💥🐐
Thomas launches a two-run homer to right-center to put the Goats on the board!
The non-roster invite came before any of the bad news, and Thomas talks about it like the receipt for a year’s work.
“That was the ultimate goal,” he said. “I worked my tail off the year prior, and to get that invite, it felt great. All that hard work — you got a little bone thrown to you.”
He couldn’t swing. He was there anyway, in a big league clubhouse with Mickey Moniak and Brenton Doyle, alongside Charlie Condon (Pre-Season PuRP No.1), Cole Messina, and Konner Eaton (Mid-Season PuRP No. 28), and with two other guys he’d shared a Hartford clubhouse with the year before.
“Especially now that [Kyle] Karros and [Cole] Carrigg have started to establish themselves in the big leagues — that proves that guys like us, we’re not that far out,” Thomas said. “Being around those guys and learning the language they use, and what the ultimate goal is when you get to the big leagues, that’s a big deal. Just being able to be a part of that was special.”
A championship in the complex
Thomas’ rehab landed him with the ACL Rockies at exactly the right moment. He joined a group comprised largely of teenagers for a few weeks and left with a ring.
“It was a blast, man,” he said, “especially seeing those guys that are, hell, 18, 19 years old — how much fun they’re having. That brings me back to when I was in college, and I was 18. Baseball was so fun back then. And those guys are really good, man, and they’re diligent about their work. A lot of those guys don’t come from much, so that shows up especially when the game’s on the line.
He remembers Game 3 of the ACL World Series specifically, and the way his teammates came to him before it.
“These guys speak a lot of broken English, so they’re like, ‘Papi, no matter what, win,’” Thomas said. “I was like, I got you, dude. This means as much to me as it does to you, I promise.”
League champs! Congrats to our Rookie-level Arizona Complex League team on an incredible season 👏 💜 pic.twitter.com/YzFo4F8rsR
He came away convinced that the organization’s next wave is real. One name in particular came up in our conversation — a 19-year-old Venezuelan outfielder he compared, without hedging, to a franchise icon.
“He’s the closest player I’ve ever seen to Carlos González in my life,” Thomas said of Cristian Arguelles (Pre-Season PuRP Preseason HM). “That guy’s straight CarGo. He’s got the sideways hat, he plays the outfield just like him with some swag. And that kid’s bat is real. That swing tool is real.”
Austin, and a phone call from Jack O’Dowd
Thomas came back from rehab to find a familiar face in the Hartford clubhouse.
Jack O’Dowd (Mid-Season HM PuRP ) went undrafted out of Texas in 2024, spent a season in the independent Pioneer League, signed a minor league deal with Colorado in January, and has climbed three levels in one summer.
The two were teammates in Austin and stayed in touch through two offseasons back in the same city.
“This past offseason, when he gave me a call and said that we’re teammates now — definitely caught me off guard,” Thomas said. “But I was so pumped for the kid, man, because I know what amount of grind he’s been through. Nobody else can really feel the same way. Nobody’s gone through stuff like that.”
He is unambiguous about what he thinks of the jump.
“That kid’s jumping three levels in a year, man. That’s unheard of,” Thomas said. “A lot of guys don’t do that, and especially a free agent guy doing it. It’s special.”
And unambiguous about the direction the respect runs.
“He’s a guy that I look up to,” said Thomas, the second-round pick with a $2 million bonus, about the undrafted free agent. “He was one of the seniors in the clubhouse my last year in college. That guy plays with grace. He doesn’t really get sped up. He enjoys the game, and he takes it pitch by pitch. That’s what I’m striving to do this year. Having him here that close is going to help for sure.”
What August is for
Asked what he’s working on with the season’s last weeks in front of him, Thomas named the thing his 2025 numbers were already pointing at.
“I think pitch selection is a big one,” he said. “Pitch selection, swing decisions — they all kind of correlate. Going up there with a pretty good plan and sticking to the plan.”
He’s built for that. Thomas walked 70 times in 118 games last season, posted a .398 on-base percentage across two levels, and hit .348 with a 1.088 OPS in plate appearances where he got ahead in the count.
He is also, by his own framing, done treating any single at-bat as the whole thing.
“This game’s hard. This game’s real hard,” Thomas said. “If I go up there and I stick to my plan and it doesn’t work out — hell, you got another one coming. That’s the great thing about this game, is you get to play tomorrow.”
The rest of it is a word he keeps coming back to.
“Just got out there and have fun, dude,” he said. “I now know what it’s like having time away from the game, which I hadn’t had to go through so far. Being back here in a clubhouse with a bunch of guys I was with last year in Spokane — just enjoying it.”
Snake Farm and the Postman
Two nicknames follow Thomas around, and he can tell you the exact day each one started.
The first came during a bad stretch his freshman year at Texas, out of a batting practice playlist that assistant coach Philip Miller played on a loop.
“That song just happened to get stuck in my head one night,” Thomas said. “I walked past our player development person, Carli Todd, and she was like, ‘That’s what you’re walking up to tonight.‘ And I was like, there’s no way. I end up walking up to it. I got 3-for-4 with a homer that night, and it just stuck.”
Snake Farm followed him through a great college career and into pro ball.
The second came last year at Spokane, from hitting coach Trevor Burmeister, now with the Portland Sea Dogs.
“He called me the Postman because I’m always delivering the barrel,” Thomas said. “I always wore a U.S. Postal Service hat for BP, so I was all in on that.”
He has a favorite.
“Honestly, I’d probably say Snake Farm,” Thomas said. “Just the amount of fun, and how much that stuck in college — that was special.”
The barrels are the part he’s still getting back. The rest of it, by every indication in his voice, never left.
Albuquerque opened its trip to Oklahoma City (Los Angeles Dodgers) with a 13-run outburst and then essentially stopped hitting. The Isotopes scored seven runs across the next five games, were shut out three times, and dropped the series finale, falling to nine games back of a playoff spot.
Nic Kent led the offense with three doubles and four RBIs, and Jose Cordova hit .375 over four starts. There was a familiar face on the other side Saturday: Seth Halvorsen, traded from Colorado to Los Angeles in July, closed out a 1-0 win against his former organization’s top affiliate.
⬆️ Stock Up: Brooks has OKC shook
Jake Brooks was excellent on Saturday and still lost. He went six innings against the Comets, allowing one run on six hits with four strikeouts and — most notably — no walks, only for Albuquerque’s offense to manage two hits in a 1-0 defeat. It was Brooks’ sharpest outing in Triple-A since his promotion in July.
Jake Brooks is your @Toyota Reliable Player of the Week after tossing 6.0 innings of one-run ball for a quality start on Saturday night! pic.twitter.com/tQ9VkP6JKq
Charlie Condon managed two hits in 22 at-bats and struck out nine times across all six games, the coldest stretch he has had this season. He did triple and steal a base, as well as drawing four walks, so he wasn’t entirely absent from the lineup — but a week after hitting his 22nd home run, Colorado’s most-watched prospect went nearly a full series without a base hit. For a club that scored seven runs in five games, the timing compounded the problem.
Upcoming
The Isotopes host the Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics) for a six-game series.
Hartford’s collapse continued at home against Erie (Detroit Tigers), who won five of six. The Yard Goats have now lost 11 of 12 dating back to the Binghamton sweep, and are now 16-29 in the second half. The pitching was hardly the problem — seven Hartford arms finished the series without allowing an earned run, and Stu Flesland III continued to roll with five innings of unearned-run ball with seven strikeouts that still ended in a loss. The offense scored 16 runs in six games, and four of the five defeats came by two or fewer runs.
⬆️ Stock Up: Weatherly Finds His Stuff
Sam Weatherly was untouchable in two appearances, throwing five innings without allowing a run, surrendering one hit and striking out 10. Seven of those punchouts came in three innings of Sunday’s finale, when he retired nearly everyone he faced. It’s a marked turn for the left-hander who had spent much of the season searching — he entered the week with an ERA north of nine — and it gives a taxed Hartford bullpen an arm worth trusting again.
Tevin Tucker went 0-for-13 in his first extended look at Double-A, striking out five times after arriving from High-A Spokane. The bright spot is that he found other ways to help — three stolen bases in five games, plus a walk and a hit-by-pitch — so the speed translated even as the bat didn’t. It’s a small sample and a real jump in level, but the first impression at the plate was a difficult one.
Upcoming
The Yard Goats will welcome the Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees) to Hartford for six games.
High-A: Spokane Indians (2-4, 52-61 Overall)
Spokane lost the first four at Everett (Seattle Mariners) before salvaging the last two, including an 8-7 win in 10 innings on Sunday. Control was the through-line: Indians pitchers issued 41 walks across the six games, 14 of them in a 16-2 opening loss and 13 more in the finale they somehow won. Kelvin Hidalgo drew six walks of his own and hit .381, and the club kept running — Roldy Brito (Pre-Season PuRP No. 11) stole four bases, Hidalgo three, and Wilder Dalis (Pre-Season PuRP No. 24) three more. The Indians sit four games back of first place in the Northwest League.
⬆️ Stock Up: Thach Finds His Swing
Tanner Thach collected 11 hits in 25 at-bats, a .440 series with two home runs, a double, and a team-high 5 RBIs while playing all six games. He homered in each of the first two games and kept hitting when the rest of the lineup went quiet — Spokane scored eight runs across the first three games, and Thach had a hand in most of what little there was. He seems to be finding his stride in High-A.
Ismael Luciano faced six batters in Tuesday’s opener and retired none of them, walking three and allowing six runs before he was pulled without recording an out. He returned Sunday and gave up two more runs on two walks and a home run. Across the two outings, he faced 14 hitters and got five of them out. The command has deserted him at the worst time for a bullpen already issuing walks at an unsustainable rate.
Upcoming
The Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks) come to town for a six-game set in Spokane.
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (2-4, 61-53 Overall)
Fresno fell victim to a series loss at the hands of the San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants). The Grizzlies won the first two, then dropped four straight, the last of them on a 10-9 walk-off in 11 innings on Sunday after they had led 8-1 entering the eighth — Yanzel Correa surrendered six runs in a single inning to erase it. They fell to two games back of first place in the division. Ashly Andujar (Mid-Season PuRP No. 30) and Juan Martinez each collected six hits, Martinez adding two triples in the finale. Jack Natili (Mid-Season PuRP No. 20) and Daniel Jackson each hit their first career professional home runs.
⬆️ Stock Up: Parker Nearly Threw a No-Hitter
Brady Parker took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning Tuesday, retiring San Jose without a hit through six innings before handing it to the bullpen, which gave up the first hit an inning later. Parker came back Sunday and allowed one run over four innings, finishing the series with 10 innings, four hits, and a single earned run. He has now been Fresno’s steadiest arm for a month.
Brady Parker silenced San Jose for six hitless innings while Daniel Jackson and Cort MacDonald slug their first professional hits to help support the gem.
Cristian Arguelles went 4-for-25 (.160) across all six games, three weeks after arriving from the Arizona Complex League and a week removed from hitting .435 to earn a spot in this column. The at-bats weren’t wild — he struck out just once in 25 tries, and he stole two bases as well as drawing a hit-by-pitch — but the contact stopped finding grass at the worst time, with Fresno needing runs in a series with real playoff implications. He’s still only a few weeks into full-season ball at this level.
Upcoming
The Grizzlies play host to the Stockton Ports (Athletics) for a six-game series.
DSL: DSL Colorado (2-2) & DSL Rockies (2-3)
Neither Dominican Summer League affiliate found much rhythm, though DSL Colorado stayed atop the DSL Southeast at 34-18 and closed the week with a 9-1 win. Their odd game came Friday: 10 walks drawn, two hits, and a 4-3 loss. DSL Rockies took two of five to reach 21-32, and one of them was extraordinary — a 19-18 walk-off win that lasted four hours and 12 minutes and produced 37 runs, 26 hits, and 21 walks between both teams. Danny Cancro hit .500 for the week, and Maiker Ramirez hit .533.
⬆️ Stock Up: Vielma Keeps Getting On
Carlos Vielma (Acquired in the Antonio Senzatela trade) reached base 10 times in four games, going 5-for-12 (.417) with two doubles and five walks. The most telling of those hits came Friday, when Colorado managed just two all afternoon — Vielma had one of them, a double, in a game his team otherwise filled with walks and stranded runners. He’s hitting .363 on the season and just turned 17 last week.
⬇️ Stock Down: Oh, Darling
Darling Pena went 1-for-19 across all five games, striking out six times and driving in nobody. His lone hit came in Thursday’s 9-7 loss. The starkest illustration came Friday, when the Rockies scored 19 runs and Pena finished 0-for-4.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 25: Giancarlo Stanton #27, Aaron Judge #99 and Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. The Yankees defeated the Giants 7-0. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees’ offense ranks 29th among 30 MLB teams with an 86 wRC+ since Aaron Judge went down in late May, and 27th with a 78 wRC+ since Cody Bellinger’s injury (July 26th). The two former MVPs are of vital importance for Aaron Boone’s lineup, as is a healthy Giancarlo Stanton, another past recipient of the honor. The three sluggers are expected to return at some point this season, with Bellinger and Stanton projected to beat Judge as things stand.
How would the Yankees’ lineup look when they are fully healthy? They added Luis García Jr. and Heliot Ramos before the Trade Deadline, not to mention Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. from their own minor league system in recent weeks. There will be a lot of movement, but the rosters expanding to 28 players in September will definitely help accommodate most of those who deserve a spot.
Our community evidently believes that the injuries to the star players and the inconsistent offense are certainly concerns heading into the stretch run, so it doesn’t hurt to look at the picture when everybody is fit to play.
Here’s a peek at how the Yankees’ offense would look against righties most nights when the injured stars return:
Ideal lineup vs. RHP:
1B Ben Rice RF Aaron Judge LF Cody Bellinger DH Giancarlo Stanton/Luis García Jr. CF Trent Grisham 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. SS George Lombard Jr. 3B Ryan McMahon C Austin Wells
Rice has hit second most of the season, but he does have 16 starts from the leadoff spot. It would be quite a statement by the Yankees: here’s our 143-wRC+ hitter to open the lineup. Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton comprise a formidable heart of the order, provided that they can reach peak form at some point. Remember, this is a hypothetical exercise.
Stanton, of course, won’t play every game vs. righties. When he rests, the Yankees could just use Rice a DH and García at first. If he’s still on the roster (unclear if everyone is back) Amed Rosario is also a candidate to get some starts from that spot or at third base, and José Caballero would spell Lombard, McMahon, or Chisholm if they are unavailable.
Bellinger will probably alternate between the outfield and the DH spot in his first few games back (with an offday sprinkled here and there), coming off a lower-body injury.
It remains to be seen what the Bombers will do with García in the event that everyone is healthy. Will Boone primarily keep in the lineup at first base against righties? Could they try him at second base, where he had -17 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) last year?
Ideal lineup vs. LHP:
1B Paul Goldschmidt RF Aaron Judge LF Cody Bellinger DH Giancarlo Stanton/Ben Rice 3B Amed Rosario/José Caballero SS George Lombard Jr. 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr./José Caballero CF Trent Grisham C Alí Sánchez/Mitch Garver
Note that Rosario has been particularly productive vs. southpaws this year (68 wRC+, vs. 133 against RHP), but he has usually been much better vs. lefties over the course of his career. He will play in these situations — again, if he’s still on the roster.
Rice is actually solid vs. lefties (118 wRC+), so he will get starts. Ramos is also an asset against southpaws, with a 129 wRC+ during his career, and is expected to get some playing time there, too, either from the left field spot—where he is a subpar defender—or at DH.
Obviously, the idea is that players such as García, McMahon, and Wells don’t sniff the plate when there’s a left-handed pitcher on the mound. I did include the recent minor-league signee Garver as a possibility behind the plate against lefties because Sánchez has been so anemic that it might be worth trying the recently-dismissed Mariners backup in the bigs. He only reported to Triple-A on Friday though, so the Yankees may take a beat to assess him before making a move.
Caballero will be a super-utility guy who will get some starts here and there, plus some pinch-running and late-game appearances as a potential defensive replacement. Jones, who is currently part of the picture, will probably be squeezed out since he has minor-league options left. Both he and Rosario are candidates to depart the big-league roster upon Bellinger and Stanton’s returns — to say nothing of Judge, who likely won’t be available until rosters expand in September regardless.
ARLINGTON, TX - JUNE 07: Luis Curvelo #57 of the Texas Rangers pitches during a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field on June 07, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kai Kanzer/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Luis Curvelo has cleared waivers and been outrighted to AAA Round Rock, the team has announced. As Curvelo has never been outrighted before, he does not have the option of rejecting the outright assignment, and thus will remain in the Rangers’ organization for the time being.
Curvelo, 25, was designated for assignment on August 14 so that the Rangers could add pitcher Marco Gonzales to the 40 man roster as part of adding Gonzales to the active roster. Gonzales was then designated for assignment a day later so that Jakob Junis could be activated from the 15 day injured list. That opened up a 40 man roster spot that I am guessing will be filled in the near future as a result of Jack Leiter being activated from the 60 day injured list.
Curvelo was originally signed out of Venezuela by the Seattle Mariners, and he pitched in their organization from 2018 through 2024. Curvelo became a minor league free agent after the 2024 season, and the Rangers opted to sign him to a major league deal that winter. After a somewhat promising 2025 season, where he put up a 3.76 ERA in 40 innings at Round Rock and a 5.68 ERA/4.66 FIP in 19 innings in the majors, he has regressed in 2026. In 10.1 innings over 9 games in the majors, he’s allowed 12 runs on 17 hits — including four homers — while walking seven and striking out six. Things haven’t been much better in AAA, as he’s allowed 27 runs in 25.2 innings for the Express this year, with 6 homers, 18 walks and 26 Ks.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Trey Mancini, the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2021 for his return from colon cancer who then helped Houston win the 2022 World Series, announced his retirement after his latest comeback lasted five games with the Los Angeles Angels.
“Thank you, baseball,” Mancini wrote on lnstagram.
Mancini, 34, agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels in February, a deal that included an invitation to major league spring training. Mancini hit .273 with six homers, 29 RBIs and three steals for Triple-A Salt Lake this year.
The right-handed batter had three hits in his first major league game since 2023 playing first base in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros in 10 innings. Mancini’s final major league appearance was June 14, and he was designated for assignment on June 17.
“I am blessed to have made a home in the Orioles organization for 10 years, win a World Series in Houston, play for the Cubs in Chicago (I wish I played better for you guys), and make it back up to the MLB with the Angels,” Mancini wrote while also thanking the Reds, Marlins and Diamondbacks as well.
Mancini batted .263 with 129 homers and 404 RBIs in the majors. He played parts of six seasons with the Orioles and hit a career-high 29 homers in 2019.
He then missed the 2020 season after surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his colon. He made a successful return to the Orioles in 2021, and he won a World Series ring in 2022 after Baltimore traded him to Houston.
Mancini spent part of the 2023 season with the Chicago Cubs. He has since played in the minor league systems of the Reds, Marlins and Diamondbacks. He opted out of a minor league deal with Arizona last July after batting .308 with 16 homers for Triple-A Reno.
Is there a more disposable job in pro sports than NHL head coach?
Senators coach Travis Green is a pretty good example of just how quickly the NHL coaching carousel spins. The Senators just hired Green two summers ago, and somehow, he's already the 12th-longest-serving active NHL coach with his current team.
In a 32-team league, that's pretty crazy.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss Travis Green's comments about Brady Tkachuk's exit.
Green has done an excellent job since arriving in Ottawa. The Senators have made the playoffs in each of his first two years, ending a seven-year postseason drought in his first year and then navigating a much more difficult 2025-26 season to get back there again.
Green's work this past season earned him significant recognition around the league. He finished sixth in Jack Adams Trophy voting and received four first-place votes.
That's pretty good company, but a two-season run feels like a cup of coffee, like you've barely had enough time to really put your stamp on the club. It shouldn't place you near the top third of the NHL.
NHL head coaches continue to get hired, fired and recycled at an unreasonably high rate in the NHL.
A couple of disappointing months can suddenly put an established coach on the hot seat. A bad playoff series can change everything. Sometimes, even winning doesn't buy much security.
Just look at Vegas, everyone's favourite team.
The Golden Knights were in a playoff spot in late March, but they felt like their dressing room was flat, so they fired their 2023 Cup champion, Bruce Cassidy, and brought in John Tortorella. Then, despite getting them to the Cup Final this year, they parted ways with Tortorella right after that run, then hired rookie coach Ryan Craig.
The Knights didn't give a reason for Tortorella's exit, but maybe he'll be back again to jolt them next spring like a walking-talking defibrillator.
The volatile state of coaching makes Jon Cooper an absolute unicorn.
Cooper took over the Tampa Bay Lightning in March 2013 and is now entering his 14th season behind their bench. He's won two Stanley Cups, reached four Stanley Cup Finals and taken Tampa Bay to the playoffs in 12 of his 13 full seasons.
And somehow, after all of that, he had never won the Jack Adams Trophy until this year. Cooper has been an outlier for a long time, and it's been suggested that the so-called Jack Adams curse may finally be his undoing.
But what coach isn't feeling cursed, hearing the footsteps of his replacement? No matter how well things are going, recent history will tell you that unemployment isn't far off.
Montreal's Marty St. Louis has been on the job for four years, and he's already the fourth-longest-tenured head coach in the entire league?
Maybe it's the short attention span of today's young players, who are easily bored (and sometimes entitled) as they tune out coaches faster than ever.
Maybe with social media now so prevalent, general managers hear the barking from fans and media sooner and louder. A quick coaching change can be like throwing a hunk of meat to the wolves. It gives them something else to chew on as the GM slowly backs into the hedges like Homer Simpson.
Whatever it is, Cooper's longevity is a million times more impressive than the silly notion of a trophy curse.
As for Green, who's done a tremendous job so far, Senators fans should probably enjoy the coaching stability while they have it because it can obviously be fleeting.
It's truly hard to believe that a two-year run qualifies as veteran status now.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published in The Hockey News. For more Sens coverage at The Hockey News, click on one of the latest headlines below:
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 09: Dennis Schroder #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates after a basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 09, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dennis Schroder isn’t one to shy away from the truth. He showed this in his limited time with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, often being one of the most vocal players on the court and in the locker room.
Whether he was urging his teammates to hustle back on defense or to keep the bigs involved offensively, Schroder wasn’t afraid to call it how he sees it.
That’s continued even after Schroder was traded to the Charlotte Hornets last week.
In an interview with EuroHoops, Schroder opened up about the challenges of his role in Cleveland.
“When you have two legends in your position who bring the ball up the court and play a lot of isolation, then it’s just difficult,” said Schroder.
Playing behind James Harden and Donovan Mitchell is a unique challenge for anyone. Being the backup to two ball-dominant stars is a thankless job. It requires a sacrifice that isn’t always recognized. Schroder wasn’t in his comfort zone sharing the floor with both Mitchell and Harden, as no one in that group excels without the ball.
Anyone watching the Cavs could tell you that.
This isn’t to say that Schroder should have had more touches. We all agree that the ball should be primarily in Harden or Mitchell’s hands. But it’s no secret that co-existing with them in the backcourt is easier said than done. You need a specific skill set that doesn’t match Schroder’s archetype.
Schroder is at his best when he’s on the ball. He isn’t the type of player who can spot up in the corner or space the floor. And even with his scrappiness on the defensive end, he still isn’t the ideal partner to cover up for either Harden or Mitchell on that end of the floor.
That put Schroder in an awkward position. The Cavs needed a backup point guard — but they didn’t need the type of package that Schroder brings. He’s a speedy, on-ball floor general who can run the offense in a pinch. Not a 3-and-D guard who can fill in the gaps.
For this reason, Schroder is right to feel optimistic about landing in Charlotte.
“I’ve known [I was being traded] for a month,” said Schroder. “I think it’s a better situation for me from a sporting perspective.”
Schroder will have more room to be himself on the Hornets bench. Meanwhile, the Cavs search for a way to capitalize on their newfound financial freedom. The trade feels like a win for both parties.
On Sunday, the NHL Network will release its list of the top 20 centers in the NHL right now, and after seeing one of their players make the first three rankings, it is likely the Montreal Canadiens will also be represented on this fourth and final list. Cole Caufield was named the ninth-best winger, Lane Hutson the sixth-best defenseman, and Jakub Dobes the 10th-best goaltender. Where will Nick Suzuki rank on the best center list? We’ll have the final answer on Sunday night, but for now, let’s have a look at where he should land.
Last year, Suzuki ranked 10th, and when he entered the conversation ahead of the 2024 season, he was 16th. Needless to say, he should carry on climbing the rankings this season.
It’s been a fantastic season for the Canadiens’ captain, who not only broke the 100-point barrier with 101 points but also won his first major NHL award when he claimed the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive winger. He was the first choice for the award on 151 of 198 ballots and a top-five pick for 191 of the voters. He received a total of 1,726 voting points, a 1,259-point lead over his closest rival, Anthony Cirelli, who had 467 points.
From a pure point-production standpoint, Suzuki was fifth amongst all centers last year, trailing only Connor McDavid (138 points), Nathan MacKinnon (127 points), Macklin Celebrini (115 points), and Mark Scheifele (103 points). However, Suzuki is more than points on the scoresheet for the Canadiens. This past season, he ranked sixth in the NHL in faceoffs taken with 1,449, or 32.2% of all Habs faceoffs, and when he was on the ice, the Sainte-Flanelle outshot its opponent 94-58. His contribution is so valuable to the Canadiens that he finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting, earning one first-place vote, 19 fourth-place votes, and 35 fifth-place votes for 102 points. He was light-years away from first place (Nikita Kucherov with 1,436 points), but those votes show how well regarded he is in the NHL.
Even though he failed to make the cut for the 4 Nations Face-Off roster, Suzuki’s performance in the last two seasons forced Hockey Canada to bring him to the Milano Cortina Olympics, where he showed the rest of the NHL what he could actually do.
Last season, McDavid, MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Aleksander Barkov, Sidney Crosby, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Brayden Point, and Mark Scheifele all finished ahead of Suzuki in the top-20 centers rankings, but that should change this season. For one, Barkov didn’t play a single game last season after suffering a serious knee injury, tearing both his ACL and MCL. Point also missed just under 20 games and saw his scoring drop from 82 to 50 points. Matthews’ scoring also dropped significantly, from 78 points to 53, as he played only 60 games and couldn't lead his Toronto Maple Leafs to the playoffs. As for Crosby, he could only muster 74 points ( in 68 games), his lowest total since the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season (62 points in 55 games). In other words, there is room for Suzuki to climb up a few spots in the rankings.
Based on last season’s results, it would make sense for Suzuki to make his way into the top five, behind McDavid, MacKinnon, Celebrini, and Draisaitl, who put up 97 points in just 65 games. We’ll find out on Sunday at 7:00 PM if NHL Network agrees with our assessment.
May 24, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Marcelo Mayer (39) prior to a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Last week, SB Nation Reacts polled Giants fans with a surprisingly complicated question: Who should be the starting second baseman next year? Casey Schmitt had been penciled in for that position post-Luis Arraez trade, but his meniscus had other plans. Still, the idea that he’d simply take the position following rehab and possibly to start next season flowed logically from that development… until the trade deadline, when the Giants grabbed former top prospect Marcelo Mayer from the Boston Red Sox. Now… who knows?… maybe?
Okay, well, Giants fans are pretty certain that Schmitt is still the plan. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that Matt Chapman is still on the team and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, blocking Schmitt from playing his best position. It also has a lot to do with the fact that only the injury has prevented the post-Arraez plan from being realized.
It’ll be interesting to see if Chapman and Schmitt are able to return at close to their peaks following their respective surgeries, but in Schmitt’s case, this breakout year had some red flags in it that might simply lock in as he gets a little older and has a knee problem. And it’s this fluctuating circumstance that could open the door for Marcelo Mayer to be, say, the Opening Day second baseman for the San Francisco Giants… in July or whenever the lockout ends. If you’ve been following the FanDuel links in these posts all season, this paragraph just offered some interesting questions for your digital wagering.
I’ll mention here that Casey Schmitt and Marcelo Mayer are both alumni from the same high school (though they missed each other by a year). I just didn’t want you to think I didn’t know that or, if you hadn’t heard that yet, there you go (it was Eastlake High School down in Chula Vista). But I also feel it’s worth mentioning as a possible piece of anecdata to counter the Boston (and East Coast) media’s attack on Mayer. Obviously, the Red Sox dumping him on the Giants in exchange for Erik Miller (9K, 1 BB, 4 hits, 0 earned runs — just 1 run — allowed in 5.1 IP) has a whiff of Rafael Devers about it in that it’s a signal that Boston might’ve soured on the player. Still, it confounds one outsider’s perspective (Keith Law), even if the consensus seems to have coalesced around the idea that Mayer, in his post-prospect peak, might actually be very close to washing out of the bigs, and that this change of scenery could be one last great chance to prevent that from happening.
So, the idea of Mayer not becoming one of the many thousands of failed prospects in baseball history because the Giants coached him up or whateverwhich then leads to him being the team’s starting second baseman next season seems like a huge stretch. Law’s assessment is pretty damning:
His front leg stays very stiff through contact, with his knee locked in place, and he can’t cover the lower third or anything below the zone. When he’s swung at anything below the bottom of the zone, he’s whiffed 56.5 percent of the time, and pitchers are going to keep attacking him there until he makes an adjustment — and he chases those pitches too often, too.
He does offer that leaving Mayer at one position (and suggests second base) rather than moving him around might allow him to focus on the swing changes he needs to make. There’s certainly potential there, and he’ll be just 24 whenever next season starts. Casey Schmitt made his debut in his age 24 season and hit .206/.255/.324. You know, sometimes these things can take time. Plus, Marcelo Mayer has every reason to listen to Ron Washington after what happened with Luis Arraez. Y’know, unless Mayer has an aversion to being successful.
Now, the prospect of Marcelo Mayer realizing the high rating he’d been given in the minors is less probable than Casey Schmitt continuing to be a productive major leaguer, but I’m not so sure that Schmitt can repeat his 2026, and whatever he regress to the mean of could simply make the second base position feel less locked down. Is this uncertainty why I don’t think it’s a 70/30-level guarantee that Schmitt will be the second baseman next season?
Possibly.
We’ll likely get to see Mayer this weekend when the Giants go to Fenway Park to get their brains beaten in by the Boston Red Sox as they speed towards 100+ losses on the season. Maybe the Giants think they can steal a win or two based on the revenge factor. Maybe Mayer is looking forward to showing them what they gave up on. He’s currently 5-for-14 with a homer, a double, a walk and 7 strikeouts in his rehab assignment with the River Cats. I’ll admit that he’d really have to have a huge series to even raise the question of if the job is his next year, but this is the time in a lost season when such experimentation ought to happen. The Giants were/are big stinky losers even with Casey Schmitt hitting like he did. I don’t think anything should be set in stone with this roster.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 12: Malachi Smith #18 of the Brooklyn Nets drives around a screen set by E.J. Liddell #9 against Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Scotiabank Arena on April 12, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors have signed Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Malachi Smith to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 training camp contract through the work of his agent, Michael Lelchitski of SIG Sports.
Across 15 games, four of which were starts, played with the Brooklyn Nets to close out the 2025-26 season, 6-4 Smith averaged 8.3 points on a shooting split of 48.5 percent from the field/43.5 percent on three-pointers/100.0 percent at the free-throw line, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per contest. He was waived back on July 10 after the organization exercised his minimum salary team option on June 30, in order to make salary cap space.
Toronto doesn’t have any of its three two-way spots available and currently has 17 players on the payroll (both standard and training camp contracts), including Smith’s $2,185,116 that he’s owed next season. An NBA roster has a 15-player limit. Once the trade of forward Brandon Ingram and guard Gradey Dick for Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard goes through, one roster spot will open up for the Raptors.
The 26-year-old Smith will be fighting mostly with Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle, who went undrafted in 2026, for minutes throughout the preseason. If he were to get cut, Smith should have the option to join the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBA G League affiliate.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
With Pakistan at a low ebb and England at the start of semi-reset, the series at Headingly looks to be an interesting one
The history of Test cricket between England and Pakistan stretches back to 1954 and has been a vibrant one over the years. Yet, for all the memorable battles, plus the cultural ties between the two countries and a fair bit of scandal along the way, a trophy that denotes the rivalry is still to be created.
England lost the Crowe-Thorpe trophy to New Zealand this summer, will look to retain the Basil D’Oliveira trophy in South Africa this winter, and hope they can win back the Ashes next year. Trophies for encounters with India and West Indies go back so far they have been retired and replaced by new ones in recent times.
The $12.5 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers has unleashed a family feud.
The Buss children are at it again.
Jeanie Buss, 64, took over as the team’s governor and controlling owner in 2013 after the death of her father, Jerry, the team's longtime and celebrated owner. She sued in 2017, alleging that two other brothers tried to oust her. Now Jeanie Buss is fighting to hold on to that power.
She is one of six siblings and apparently is outnumbered. Her five siblings issued a statement saying they plan to sell the family’s remaining 17.8% in the Lakers to the incoming owners -- venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger.
The 17.8% is how much the Buss children retained after selling the team to Mark Walter in June 2025 on a valuation of about $10 billion. The terms of that sale stipulated that Jeanie Buss was to remain the team's governor for at least five years following the sale.
But that plan looks to be in jeopardy after Walter sold the team to Kusher, brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared, and Iger. NBA rules require a team’s governor have at least 15% ownership. If her siblings are allowed to sell their shares, Jeanie Buss won’t meet the threshold needed to oversee the team.
When Jerry Buss died in 2013, he owned 66% of the Lakers, and he left 11% to each of his six children. But Jeanie Buss, through Adam Streisand, contends her siblings need her approval to sell their remaining shares.
In a copy of a letter obtained by ESPN, Streisand wrote that any family vote for a sale "would be and is void" because Jeanie’s approval is needed.
"Co-trustees are bound to vote to ensure that the minimum 15% ownership requirement is maintained in order to ensure that Jeanie Buss may remain controlling owner," Streisand wrote, via ESPN.
"Any attempt by the co-trustees to aid or abet the co-trustees as such, would constitute a breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty and be in contempt of court.
"On behalf of Jeanie Buss, I demand that your clients make clear publicly that Jeanie Buss is the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and that your clients shall take no action on this supposed 'vote' to sell the 17.8% stake."
The siblings see things differently.
“We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction,” the Buss family said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “We love the Lakers, Laker fans and will continue to support Los Angeles, but it is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can.”
Lakers in limbo off, on court
Under Jerry Buss, the Lakers became one of the most iconic teams in sports.
The team won 10 NBA titles between Jerry Buss’ purchase of the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million and his death in 2013.
Since then, the Lakers have won just one more title, giving the franchise 17 -- second behind only the Boston Celtics' 18 titles.
Jeanie Buss' biggest move since firing her brother Jim in 2017 was to sign LeBron James the following year. James led the Lakers to an NBA title in 2020 during a COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season. The Lakers have not returned to the Finals since. This offseason, James left the Lakers and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Lakers have retooled their roster around star Luka Doncic, and for the moment, the Lakers look to be in limbo on and off the court.
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, and the organization’s developmental model has begun to yield results, with 2023 first rounder Zach Benson making an impact in the playoffs, and 2024 top pick Konsta Helenius appearing as one of the AHL’s top prospects the last two seasons.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. These players are all 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 82 NHL games.
Kucharcik is a lanky forward who played for Slavia Praha in the Czech junior system, and played for his country at the Under-18’s before being selected by the Sabres in the fourth round (103rd overall) at the 2025 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old forward was born in Italy, as his father (a 1991 Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick) played throughout Europe during his career.
Who will pick up the offensive slack for the Sabres next season?
The youngster is described by Elite Prospects 2025 Draft Guide as “a smart two-way center who excels at facilitating others through his strongly ingrained supporting habits. He backtracks to intercept passes in the neutral zone, pickpockets opposing defencemen on the forecheck and takes the right routes to provide his teammates with passing options. There’s also a clear defensive upside with Kucharčík. His motor is solid, but it’s how he angles and positions that really drives his defensive value.”
Instead of remaining in Czechia, Kucharcik played for the Sabres favorite USHL club. the Youngstown Phantoms last season, and scored 16 points (9 goals, 7 assists) in 35 games. He is moving on to the NCAA to Miami (OH) University, where he will play with Sabres 2026 first rounder Ilya Morozov.
