The Montreal Canadiens should be open to bringing in a player on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement for training camp this year.
One remaining free agent who could make sense for the Canadiens to take a look at on a PTO is defenseman John Klingberg.
Klingberg is the top right-shot free agent defenseman left, and the Canadiens could use more depth on the right side of their blueline. If he impressed during his PTO and earned an affordable deal for the season, he could be a useful extra defenseman for the Habs to have when injuries occur during the season.
Klingberg showed this past season with the San Jose Sharks that he is still capable of producing decent offense from the point. In 56 games with the Pacific Division club, he posted 10 goals, 17 assists, and 27 points. With numbers like these, he could be worth taking a chance on with a PTO.
If Klingberg earned a contract for the season, he would also give the Canadiens another veteran who could help mentor their younger players. He has 700 games of NHL experience, after all, which is not a bad thing.
It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens sign Klingberg to a PTO ahead of training camp. If he is still not signed to a contract by then, it could be worth some consideration.
New York Yankees manager Ralph Houk in Yankee Stadium for an Opera News magazine portrait assignment, Bronx, New York, circa 1972. (Photo by Michael Gold/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees have had some decent success in replacing franchise cornerstones over the years. Back in the day, they had a run at catcher that, with some small gaps, went from Bill Dickey to Yogi Berra to Elston Howard to Thurman Munson. Their careers overlapped, but Mickey Mantle became the Yankees’ center fielder shortly after Joe DiMaggio’s career at the spot, a generation after Joe D. effectively succeeded Murderers’ Row center fielder Earle Combs. In recent years, Didi Gregorius did an extremely admirable job taking over at shortstop after Derek Jeter retired.
In terms of Yankee managers, Casey Stengel is arguably the best ever. He’s tied with Joe McCarthy with seven World Series titles, while Stengel has one more pennant and did all that in a shorter time frame. However, the Yankees did — somewhat controversially — dismiss Stengel following the 1960 World Series loss. While the man who followed Stengel didn’t match the number of World Series titles or anything, he did pretty well himself.
Ralph George Houk Born: August 9, 1919 (Lawrence, KS) Died: July 21, 2010 (Winter Haven, FL) Yankees Tenure: 1947-54 (player); 1955-60 (coach/Triple-A manager); 1961-63 and 1966-73 (manager); 1964-66 (general manager)
Born in Kansas in 1919, Ralph Houk grew up on a farm not far from Stull. He grew a love of baseball while watching his uncles play local semi-pro ball. He eventually started playing himself, and took to the catcher position, where he excelled with his sturdy frame at Lawrence High School in the shadow of the University of Kansas. He also excelled in football and indeed had offers to play in college both at Kansas and Oklahoma. However, Houk preferred baseball, and eventually inked a deal with the Yankees in 1939.
Houk got off to a decent start in his first couple minor-league seasons, but he left to serve in the army in World War II ahead of the 1942 campaign. While he wasn’t part of the initial D-Day Normandy landings, Houk did land on Omaha Beach shortly after and took part in the Battle of the Bulge. He received a number of commendations in his time in the military, including a Silver Star and a Purple Heart. Houk’s strong military background eventually led to him being referred to as “the Major.”
Well over four years after his previous professional games, Houk eventually returned to baseball in 1946. He did enough that season and in spring training in 1947 to make the Yankees, but he spent the next couple seasons going back and forth between the majors and Triple-A. During that stretch, he nearly gave up on the Yankees at one point, believing that he should be with the big league team and not in the minors, but was eventually persuaded to stick through it.
Houk eventually would play with the Yankees for good from 1950-54, but was very much a third-string catcher. This stretch was, after all, the height of Yogi Berra’s powers, when the beloved backstop won multiple MVPs.
Houk only ever played in 91 games over eight major league seasons, and almost half of them came in that first 1947 season. He won his first World Series ring that year (getting a pinch-hit infield single off Brooklyn’s Joe Hatten in his first of two career Fall Classic at-bats) and was part of the dynasty that won five championships in a row from 1949-53, though during that latter stretch, he never received even 10 plate appearances in a single season. However, Houk did become a clubhouse leader in the Bronx, with teammates often turning to him for advice on their game and more. That reputation led to the Yankees approaching him about becoming a minor-league manager.
In 1955, Houk hung up his cleats and was named skipper of the Triple-A Denver Bears. In Denver, Houk had three winning seasons, including winning the American Association pennant in 1957. That success led to the Yankees bringing in Houk to serve as first-base coach under Stengel. He did so for the next three seasons, securing his seventh ring for the 1958 champs.
Then in 1960, the Yankees lost a heartbreaking World Series to the Pirates, losing on Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run in Game 7 despite easily outscoring Pittsburgh in the Fall Classic. In the aftermath, the team announced that they were moving on from Stengel. Owner Dan Topping said that they were looking towards the future as Stengel was 70, and the move would’ve been made even if the Yankees had won. (Stengel famously said “I’ll never make the mistake of turning 70 again.”) There’s also a thought that the Yankees didn’t want to lose Houk, whose success in the minors and as a Yankees’ coach had made him a hot manager target for other teams. Whatever the true reasons, Houk was indeed the choice to take over as Yankees’ skipper.
In 1961, Houk was taking over a team that already had plenty of talent and had been a dominant force in baseball over previous years, but he did put a bit of his own spin on it. Whitey Ford had already been the team’s ace, but Stengel often liked to move him around and selectively use him in tougher matchups, lowering his start total. Houk, however, said he would be taking the ball every fourth day no matter what. As a result, Ford won 25 games with a 3.21 ERA in 283 innings, winning the Cy Young Award for the first and only time in his career.
Then of course, there were the M&M Boys. From the start of the 1961 season, Houk slotted Roger Maris third in the lineup and Mickey Mantle fourth and that helped result in one of the most memorable seasons of all time. The two famously challenged Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record of 60, going back and forth all summer. A hip issue ended up leading to Mantle missing some time and finishing with 54, but Maris broke the record with 61, holding the mark for over 30 years.
The Yankees repeated as champions in ‘62 in a seven-game classic over the Giants, with Houk standing by his starter who had been the goat two years prior, Ralph Terry. The righty pitched a 1-0 shutout in Game 7 and Houk had his ninth ring.
New York made it back to the Fall Classic in ‘63, but fell in a sweep to the Dodgers. After that season, Houk stepped into a front-office role and handed over the reins to Berra. While Yogi led the team back to the World Series, Houk and ownership weren’t enamored with him as manager and fired him after the team lost to the Cardinals in seven. In his place, Houk hired the Cardinals’ manager, Johnny Keane, who had clashed with his front office in St. Louis.
However, the stars of dynastic era of the team were starting to age out, and the Yankees didn’t have the reinforcements in store. Keane lasted just over a year before Houk dismissed him in May 1966 and took back over the job himself, eventually ceding GM responsibilities to Lee MacPhail. Houk’s second tenure as Yankee manager lasted eight seasons, but wasn’t remotely as successful as the first. He led them to a second-place finish in the AL East in 1970, but other than that the team hovered around .500 or worse. Houk did gradually help usher some stars of the future — such as Thurman Munson, Roy White, and Bobby Murcer — into the big leagues, but new owner George Steinbrenner decided to move on after the 1973 season. For his own part, Houk sounded relieved to not stick around long enough to really endure the worst of Steinbrenner’s meddling.
After leaving the Yankees, Houk managed the Tigers from 1974-78 and the Red Sox from 1981-84, but never led either to the postseason. However in both cases, he helped develop some of the teams’ future young stars. (Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, and others in Detroit; Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, and more in Boston.) He later held a front office role with the Twins, helping assemble the teams that would win the World Series in 1987 and ‘91.
In 1990, he retired to Florida, where he eventually passed away in July 2010, the same month as Steinbrenner and longtime PA announcer Bob Sheppard. The Yankees wore black armbands in tribute to Houk for the remainder of that season.
Ralph Houk absolutely had the good fortune of inheriting a dynasty when he took over as Yankees’ manager in 1961. However, fancy cars still need a driver who knows what they’re doing and Houk absolutely did so, earning his players’ trust and keeping the dynasty going.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 15: OG Anunoby accepts the Best Play award onstage during the 2026 ESPY Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on July 15, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a literary trope of the traveler escaping his identity simply by crossing a border. Kings become strangers, heroes become ordinary men, princes become paupers. For those burdened by an oversaturation of fame, especially a person with a more sensitive temperament, the escape must be tantalizing: why not abscond someplace where the role you inhabit at home disappears because the people around you don’t know or don’t care about it?
Bouncing seemed like a good idea to Ogugua “OG” Anunoby, Jr. He won an NBA championship in New York City, then booked it to someplace nobody would bother him.
In a recent piece for The Times of London, Anunoby discussed the strange contrast between his celebrity in New York after winning the championship and his relative anonymity in London, where he was born and lived for a few years.
Anunoby is becoming an increasingly visible bridge between the Knicks, British basketball, and the NBA’s broader European ambitions. He told The Times that he believes the UK has enough talent to become a significant basketball country if its infrastructure and development pathways improve.
Every summer he hosts a youth basketball camp in London (and another at Jefferson City High School in Missouri, where he played). This offseason he has put money and presence behind the renovation of a public court in Camden, partnering with local government and the NBPA. Commissioner Adam Silver, keen on expanding the NBA brand overseas, must drool to see OG carry the torch across the pond. Which is ironic, given that Anunoby seems averse to carrying torches, or megaphones.
One of the quietest men in the league, his personality has always contrasted with the theatricality of Madison Square Garden basketball. As could be expected, winning the NBA title has only sharpened that contrast.
Anunoby is no longer simply the high-level complementary player New York acquired from Toronto. His place in Knicks history changed permanently in June, when his Game Four tip-in became the defining play of a championship that ended a five-decade drought. Now he occupies the nebulous space between star and anti-star. While his is an icon in Manhattan, he can apparently walk into a Greggs in London without causing much hullabaloo.
It seems that celebrity is something a community agrees to see, or not. We’ve often seen how it can scramble a person’s eggs (see Britney, Kanye, Charlie Sheen, etc.). In May 2005, during the filming of the third season of Chappelle’s Show, Dave Chappelle abruptly quit and traveled to South Africa for a spiritual retreat, stepping away from a $50 million contract to escape overwhelming fame and growing discomfort over how his comedy was interpreted. One of the allures of Africa was anonymity.
Even I am not immune to the stress of fame. I type this in Bar Harbor, ME, where no one stops celebrities on the sidewalk for selfies and autographs, apparently. I’m a human being, you monsters.
As for the enigmatic Ogugua, he seems to have a healthy understanding of who he is, his place in the world, and how to navigate being an NBA star. Professional sports are increasingly built upon manufactured personalities. Players become brands; brands become content; content becomes an endless plea to look at me. Yet, Anunoby became famous while largely seeming uninterested in becoming famous. He is, above all, grounded. He also made a shot that ensured millions of people would remember him forever.
PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 08: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up in the outfield prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Saturday, August 8, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sydni Griffin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers are back in the win column for the first time since July 30, as they took an extra-inning thriller against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday to end a seven-game skid.
Shohei Ohtani provided the deciding run, grounding an infield single to bring home Kyle Tucker to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead with two outs in the top of the 10th inning. Before he carried his team to victory, Ohtani managed to play catch on the Chase Field outfield, marking the first of many steps in his return to two-way duties.
Ohtani is insistent on taking his time with his throwing program, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com, and the Dodgers are confident that he can return before the end of the regular season.
“Any inning, any innings we get from him are bonuses, given he’s a two-way player,” manager Dave Roberts said earlier in the week. “So I think whether it’s one inning, two innings, three innings, I’m not too concerned about the timeline.”
When the Dodgers needed it most, Yoshinobu Yamamoto helped stop the bleeding on Saturday by firing 5 2/3 shutout innings in a no-decision. It was Yamamoto’s first scoreless appearance since July 4, and he now sports a remarkable 2.65 ERA on the season, placing him tied for fourth in the National League with Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez.
Yamamoto spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA following Saturday’s much needed win, noting how the whole team felt a sense of urgency in doing whatever it took to get things going right again.
“We dropped to seven, and I think everybody was feeling the same way. We really wanted to win, and I wanted to get the team off on the right foot.”
Roki Sasaki continued to show gradual improvements on the mound during Friday’s contest against Arizona, as although the right-hander allowed two runs, he went six full innings while striking out five and walking only one. Sasaki has been turning heads to begin the second half, as the right-hander has a 2-1 record with a 1.88 ERA in four second half starts, striking out 26 and walking just seven over 24 innings.
While Dave Roberts noted that his splitter wasn’t as lethal as it had been in prior outings, he commended Sasaki on continuing to mature at the big league level and consistently put his team in a spot to win, per Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times.
“The split wasn’t as good as it has been, but he did a fine job,” Roberts said. “He really did, and it’s good to see him, even when his best pitch isn’t there, still go out there and finding ways to get through six innings and put us in a good spot to win.”
Carl Edwards Jr. took the loss, but that’s largely because his defense didn’t have his back. The first run was on Edwards. He gave up a double and single in the first, and a fielder’s choice made it 1-0. The other four were unearned.
Bennett Lee threw away a dropped third strike that would have been the third out of the third inning. (Triple-triple). A leadoff error by Cal Stevenson at first ruined the start of what should have been a 1-2-3 inning. Instead, it turned into a three-run homer. 5-0, Omaha.
Brant Hurter took over in the seventh. He gave up an RBI single, but Trei Cruz made it a two-run base knock after letting the ball go right by him in center field. Cruz had a chance to throw the lead runner out at home, but you have to glove the ball first to do that. It was a bad night for the defense.
Brant Hurter is making a rehab appearance in Toledo tonight and…Trei Cruz probably wants this one back. pic.twitter.com/Soglb1j6wN
Stevenson made up for his earlier mistake by hitting an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. He came home a few batters later on a Wenceel Perez sac fly. That was all of the meaningful offense for Toledo, though.
It was a big home run day for Erie, with the SeaWolves sending the ball into the stands six times. Izaac Pacheco and E.J. Exposito each hit multiple long balls, going back-to-back in the first and fifth innings. Pacheco hit a third homer in the seventh for good measure.
Pacheco and Exposito were next, and neither were wallscrapers.
Max Alba had plenty of run support to work with after the first, but he gave up four runs over his 5.1 innings of work. A solo homer in the first got Altoona on the board, and a sac fly in the fourth made it 4-2. Alba gave up six hits and two walks overall, so it wasn’t a runaway win by any means.
Pacheco and Exposito did it again in the fifth, this time with a little less power, but both went to center field. Exposito leads the team with 20 homers, but Pacheco is closing in after this explosive night.
Izaac Pacheco smashes a 2-run homer to left center. It’s his 2nd of the game. pic.twitter.com/QcqoBHfiak
E.J. Exposito launches a solo homer to dead center for his 2nd home run of the game. Give him 20 on the year now. @ZachSurdenik on the call. pic.twitter.com/zrtcY0PNiU
Alba left the game in the sixth with one out and two on. Tyler Owens took over and immediately gave up a two-run, ground-rule double, with both runs going on Alba’s line. Owens wasn’t particularly sharp, walking a batter and giving up an RBI single later in the inning, keeping it a two-run game.
Josue Briceno created some separation in the bottom of the sixth with a sac fly, but Wandisson Charles gave that run right back to Altoona in the seventh.
Pacheco’s third home run of the night and 15th of the year came in the seventh. It served as the final blow of the game, but a six-homer night ending with a four-run differential feels a bit off. A win’s a win, though.
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:35 p.m. ET start on Sunday. Erie leads the series, 3-2.
West Michigan Whitecaps 14, Fort Wayne TinCaps 6 (box)
Back-to-back days with 14 runs for West Michigan. Not too shabby. All of those runs came in the first four innings, with 10 coming in the third alone. You’d think this was another home run barrage, but the Whitecaps had zero homers and just two extra-base hits. Singles and walks, baby. That’s baseball at its purest.
Singles from Woody Hadeen and Roberto Campos got things going in the first. Fort Wayne starter Bryan Balzer tried to give West Michigan more runs in the opening frame, but the Whitecaps stranded the bases loaded.
Hadeen doubled in the second, moving Juan Hernandez to third. Bryce Rainer scored him on a sac fly right after.
Brady Smith’s first start in the Tigers farm went well, but a two-run homer in the second made it a tie ball game. Those were the only two runs he allowed, though. He gave up two hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings.
Then, the big inning came. Balzer gave up a leadoff single to Clayton Campbell and hit Luke Shliger. He loaded the bases with a walk to Jackson Strong, and another walk to Andrew Sojka gave West Michigan the lead back.
The TinCaps changed pitchers, but it didn’t help. Javie Chacon hit Cristian Santana for another free run, and then Hernandez and Hadeen hit back-to-back RBI singles. All of a sudden it was 7-2, in favor of the Whitecaps.
Woody Hadeen rips an RBI single past the shortstop to put the Whitecaps up 7-2. He has three hits in three innings today. pic.twitter.com/m2w411DrCX
Another single from Roberto Campos gave West Michigan its eighth run, and Campbell walked for the second time in the inning. Shliger hit a sac fly, and Strong reached on an error. Chacon hit Sojka, and Santana singled in Strong to cap off the 10-run frame.
Campell hit a sac fly in the fourth, and a wild pitch put West Michigan ahead by a dozen. Smith cruised and turned it over to the bullpen in the sixth.
Logan Berrier gave up three runs over his two innings of work, but that was only enough to cut Fort Wayne’s deficit to single digits. Juanmi Vasquez had trouble getting the third out in the eighth, so Jalen Evans had to come in and finish things out. Evans was sharp with three strikeouts.
Hadeen: 4-6, 2B (14), 3 R, RBI, BB, K
Rainer: 1-5, 2B (19), R, RBI, 3 K
Campos: 3-6, R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Smith (W, 1-1): 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K, HR
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday. West Michigan leads the series, 4-1.
CANCELED: Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. Dunedin Blue Jays
Rained out. No makeup.
Unfortunately tonight’s game has been cancelled and will not be made up due to inclement weather in the area.
Tomorrow’s game will still be played as scheduled at noon.
— Lakeland Flying Tigers (@LkdFlyingTigers) August 9, 2026
Coming Up Next: It’s a noon ET start on Sunday. The series is tied, 2-2.
Welcome, Kevin Gausman, to the family! And DO NOT scare us like that!
I’m sure I’m not the only one when, on his 14th pitch as a Cub Friday, Gausman took a line drive off his ankle by Kansas City’s Salvador Perez and he was hobbling around. The thought in my head couldn’t be avoided: “Of course. We, as Cub fans, can’t have nice things.”
But Gausman shook off the zinger and got out of the inning allowing just the run set up by the ricocheted liner out into short right field. Gausman cruised through seven innings, including four 1-2-3 innings. He, of course, gave up the complimentary Cubs Starter solo home run (I want to retire this phrase!), but in total, Gausman allowed only four hits and a walk while striking out four. The nearly-perfect performance (66 of his 96 pitches were for strikes) was a joy to watch. Keep it up, Kevin.
Offensively, most of the damage was from the top three in the order. PCA was 1-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base. Seiya Suzuki followed, going 2-for-5 with two RBI. Alex Bregman finished the top three going 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.
At the other end of the lineup, Pedro Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored. Michael Busch added a pair of hits in three at-bats.
BIG complaint — Caleb Thielbar needs a break. He’s been a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde, but Friday he allowed two runs on three hits in 0.1 IP. Two games before that against the Dodgers, Thielbar allowed four hits, including a home run, and gave up four runs in 0.1 IP. And two games prior to that against the Cardinals, he gave up a solo home run in 1.0 IP. Yes, those were sandwich around two good performances, but he needs a reset. The two home runs mentioned above are two of 10 that Thielbar has given up this year.
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Jay Staph (Just Baseball): Pete Crow-Armstrong Has a Real Shot to Win NL MVP. “For the first time since 2023, the NL MVP race may come down to the wire, as a new challenger has emerged: Cubs CF Pete Crow-Armstrong.”
Cory Sparks (North Side Baseball): Clay Holmes’ Pitching Style Fits Cubs Perfectly. “Clay Holmes and the Cubs’ infield defense will sing a harmonious tune from the moment he steps on the mound.”
Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): Who’s On the Chopping Block in the Chicago Cubs Bullpen? “The Chicago Cubs bullpen has been shaky throughout the 2026 season, and who would have thought back in April that Jacob Webb wouldn’t only be good, but he’d be one of the best relievers in MLB?”
Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs Share Bad News on Matt Shaw’s Status as Season Enters Crunch Time. “The good news is that they don’t have to feel rushed at this point, but he’s still the kind of bat and versatile position player you’d like to have in the dugout at such a crucial point in the season.”
With her rich vocals, captivating guitar style, and hefty catalog of well-crafted original songs, she has entertained audiences in true southern style, and has garnered 21 music industry nominations, including 3 for “Song of the Year.” An indisputable triple threat – as singer, songwriter, and guitar player – her own unique blend of “country flavored southern fried blues” appeals to fans across the genres.
A seasoned veteran of the road, Kight has no plans to slow down. She’s writing and recording more new songs and performing more live shows, taking her roots music to the fans. No matter the city or the venue, wherever she’s making music, she’s at home. It’s what she does. It’s what she loves.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 07: Brenton Doyle #7 of the Chicago White Sox catches a fly ball against the Cleveland Guardians during the fifth inning at Rate Field on August 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies started their week on a high note by completing their sweep of the Kansas city Royals. Unfortunately, they were then promptly swept themselves by one of the best teams in baseball in the Tampa Bay Rays. Now the Rockies are on the road for a nine game road trip, starting with a series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Rockies dropped a close game on Friday against the redbirds. They scored just two runs despite having plenty of baserunners. Then on Saturday, Jake McCarthy was the star of the show. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs and a perfect bunt single in a Rockies victory.
Meanwhile, we are just under one week out from this year’s trade deadline. The Rockies turned four Major League players into eight different prospects from a variety of organizations. Let’s take a quick look at how everyone fared in their first outings wearing new uniforms.
RHP Seth Halvorsen to Los Angeles for RHP Nick Frasso and OF Landyn Vidourek
Right-handed pitcher Seth Halvorsen was on the 15-day injured list when he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has since been activated and sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets. The Dodgers organization quickly put Halvorsen into a late inning role with their Triple-A team and he’s done well so far. In six appearances and 6.1 innings Halvorsen has yet to give up an earned run. He’s allowed four hits and two walks while tallying eight strikeouts and going 2-for-2 in save opportunities.
Right-handed reliever Nick Frasso made five appearances with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, giving up just one earned run in 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts and only one walk. Frasso was then called up to the Rockies’ roster to make his Major League debut. Frasso was called upon for his first big league action in the 11th inning against the Tampa Bay Rays and gave up two runs—one earned—on two hits. He fared much better in his second appearance, which came against the St. Louis Cardinals, pitching a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
Toolsy outfielder Landyn Vidourek hasn’t quite found his swing with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies, but he has consistently gotten on base and even slugged his first two home runs for the Rockies organization. In his first 16 games he is hitting .163/.379/.306 with a double, 11 RBIs, 17 walks, and 20 strikeouts.
OF Brenton Doyle to Chicago White Sox for RHP Mason Adams and INF Carlos Vielma
Two-time Gold Glove winner Brenton Doyle is already adjusting to outfields away from Coors Field. In his five games following the deadline, Doyle has already recorded an outfield assist, been part of a double play, and made some of the spectacular catches we’ve grown accustomed to from him. However, his bat has yet to take off. Doyle is 2-for-9 with no extra-base hits, though he does have a steal.
Right-handed starter Mason Adams made his Rockies organizational debut with the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes last night. He spun four scoreless innings with five strikeouts and a walk while giving up three hits while making his first appearance in the notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
16-year-old infielder Carlos Vielma is off to a strong start in his first four games with the Rockies’ Dominican Summer League DSL-Colorado. Vielma has gone 8-for-15 to start his time with the organization with a double, four runs, four RBIs, and one walk to two strikeouts.
RHP Antonio Senzatela to Milwaukee for LHP Mark Manfredi and INF Juan Martinez
Long-time Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela’s first 1.1 innings and two appearances with his new club were scoreless and hitless with a strikeout and a walk. His third and most recent appearance was less successful. On Friday against the Minnesota Twins he gave up two earned runs on three hits and was saddled with the loss.
Left-handed reliever Mark Manfredi had a difficult PCL debut with the Albuquerque Isotopes. In his first appearance with the Rockies organization he lasted just 0.2 innings and gave up four earned runs on two hits and two walks, although he did strike out two hitters. Manfredi’s second appearance was much better. He pitched 1.2 innings and gave up just one earned run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
Switch-hitting infielder and a stand-out for the Brewers at this year’s Arizona Complex League, Juan Martinez already has two triples in four games with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies. Martinez is 5-for-18 to start his time with the Rockies organization and has two RBIs.
RHP Victor Vodnik to Miami for RHP Aiden May and INF Connor Norby
Hard-throwing righty Victor Vodnik has hit some bumps with his new team in Miami with many of the same issues that troubled him with the Rockies. In two appearances and three innings of work, Vodnik has given up three earned runs on two hits, two walks, and a hit batter.
New right-handed starter Aiden May looked excellent in his debut with the High-A Spokane Indians despite being on a hard pitch count of 75 pitches. May was largely flawless through his first four innings of work. He didn’t give up any earned runs and allowed just one hit and one walk. May gave up a single in the fifth inning and an earned run was credited to him after being allowed to score by the bullpen. He finished the night with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Infielder Connor Norby was the only player acquired with MLB experience despite his struggles with the Baltimore Orioles and Miami Marlins. Norby seems to have taken to his new home with the Rockies organization well. Assigned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes after the deadline, Norby has played all four games so far at second base. Meanwhile, his bat has shown signs of life. Norby is 6-for-18 with a double, two home runs, three RBIs, two walks, and four strikeouts. He’s alsso swiped two bags.
Connor Norby with his second dinger in two games for the Topes!
Now that the dust has fully settled on the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, who do you think will find the most success in their new home? Let us know in the comments!
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 02: Kelsie Whitmore #3 of the San Francisco Firebells in action against the Boston Hunters at Robin Roberts Stadium on August 02, 2026 in Springfield, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The first week of the Women’s Professional Baseball League is in the books, so let’s take a look at how the San Francisco Firebells did, and what’s coming up this week.
The Firebells kicked off their season with an 11-3 win over the Boston Hunters on Sunday. Kelsie Whitmore went three innings, allowing just one run on one hit with one strikeout and a walk. Amanda Gianelloni (2B) batted leadoff and went three-for-five with three RBI, setting the tone for the rest of the offense. Alexia George (C), Skylar Kaplan (RF), Joely Leguizamon (SS) and Jua Park (3B) all had multiple hits as well.
Things didn’t go quite as well for the Firebells on Thursday, as they lost 13-8 to the New York Heights. Ela Day-Bédard, Jua Park and Liz Gilder were knocked around for six, four and three runs respectively after Andreanne Leblanc pitched a scoreless first inning. Leblanc (P/1B) led the team on offense as well, going three-for-four with two RBI. Alexia Jorge (C) scored two runs, and Jill Albayati (LF/1B) knocked in two as well, but the Firebells fell a few runs short of a comeback, even with a five-run sixth inning.
As of the time this is being written, Friday and Saturday’s games have not yet been played, so I will include those in next week’s round-up.
Now, let’s take a look ahead at what this week has on deck for the Firebells:
Wednesday, August 12th – vs. Los Angeles – 4:30 p.m. PT
Friday, August 14th – vs. Los Angeles – 4:30 p.m. PT
Saturday, August 15th – @ New York – 11:00 a.m. PT
What time do the Giants play today?
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this weekend series against the Detroit Tigers this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.
Luis De León’s second Norfolk start wasn’t as successful as his first. In four-plus innings, De León allowed six earned runs. In the second inning, he allowed three runs thanks to five straight singles. He started the fifth inning with a home run, a single, and a HBP. He exited after the HBP but both runners on base came in when Anthony Nunez gave up a grand slam.
The Tides rallied to tie the game in the eighth inning, but Nick Raquet gave up two runs in the bottom of the inning for the loss.
Enrique Bradfield had two hits and a bases-loaded walk from the top of the lineup and Creed Willems had two hits as well. Rece Hinds and Luis Vázquez had three hits apiece; two of Hinds’s were doubles. Those doubles were the only extra base hits of the game.
New top prospect Anthony Eyanson made his organizational debut and it went pretty well! The centerpiece of the Adley Rutschman trade allowed two run runs in five innings, both on solo home runs. He struck out nine batters, walked one, and allowed four hits total.
The Baysox had only four hits, but they made them count. Victor Figueroa homered in the second, then doubled in the fourth. He came in to score on Frederick Bencosme’s two-run double. Tavian Josenberger capped the scoring with a two-run home run in the sixth. Griff O’Ferrall walked ahead of Josenberger’s bomb.
High-A: Frederick Keys 3, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (PHI) 1
Another new prospect, Kyson Witherspoon, debuted today. Listed as the #7 prospect for the Orioles on MLB Pipeline, he allowed just one unearned run in 4.1 innings last night. That sounds great! But he also walked five guys. Ouch. He also gave up five hits, so there was a lot of traffic on the bases. He benefitted from a double play, a caught stealing (that he initiated), and a pick off.
The offense got on the board in the fourth inning with an RBI triple from Fernando Peguero. It was a two-hit, one walk day for Peguero. They added two more in the seventh when Leandro Arias doubled, moved to third on a single from Braylin Tavera, then scored on a wild pitch. Tavera later scored on a single Félix Amparo. Amparo had a three-hit game.
Another org debut! This time it was Harrison Kreiling, who came back in the Taylor Ward trade. He pitched a 1-2-3 first inning. In the second he walked two, then gave up a double and a single which resulted in two runs. He finished the inning and called it a day. The relief pitching was bad, with seven more runs allowed.
The offense was kept off the board until the seventh inning, despite having eight baserunners in the first six. DJ Layton hit two doubles, while Stiven Martinez had two hits and three RBI. Jordan Sanchez had a three-hit game.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 04: Grant Holmes #66 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on August 04, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves are once again in a position of avoiding a sweep. The New York Yankees pulled off two low-scoring wins and are looking to accomplish a third in this finale before the Braves return home to face the team just across the city.
Grant Holmes is currently boasting a 3.77 ERA and is coming off a successful outing against the Miami Marlins just five days ago. Reestablishing his starting campaign after a shaky first half of the season, Holmes has found his command and played up to what fans were expecting coming into the season.
It’s just been one game, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
The outing, however, was a sign that Holmes still has what it takes to keep his starting spot and put on a stellar performance. He will not only have to match that showing, but top it, as it’s uncertain what version of the Braves’ offense will show up after their recent losses. And they need all the defense they can muster to hold the Yankees’ offense.
As for New York, Cam Schlitter is set to take the start. Holding a 2.26 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and a five-pitch arsenal that’s touching high velocities, it’s no wonder Boston is keeping him in their conversations.
Though not coming off his best outing against St. Louis on August 3 with four earned runs in his three innings pitched, don’t get fooled, Schlittler is a beast on the mound. And it’ll take the dominant version of the Braves to stop him and avoid a sweep. They’ll have to strike early with Holmes on the defensive end to continue his strong stint.
One could only hope, but the Braves will have to execute if they want this hope to turn into action.
CENTENNIAL, CO - JUNE 11 : Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic, left, and team's president and governor Josh Kroenke are in the press conference at Family Sports Center in Centennial, Colorado on Thursday, June 11, 2026. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
The Avalanche have plenty of talent and experience on the blue line, but each defenseman has one area where he can take another step in 2026-27. [Sports Illustrated]
As part of the NHL’s 32 in 32 series, Colorado’s fantasy projections for the 2026-27 season. [NHL]
Though he was selected by Golden State in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft without having played in college, Ellis now has the opportunity to give back to an HBCU near his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.
But that’s not why Ellis has raised the collective eyebrows of Dub Nation.
Instead, it’s for an interesting statement Ellis made to ESPN in a story announcing his new role. The 2006-07 NBA Most Improved Player discussed how his Warriors teams, though less talented and not nearly as successful, helped set the stage for Golden State’s dynasty led by Steph Curry.
“That’s what I dealt with. And people know that,” Ellis told ESPN’s Myron Medcalf. “Real people that know basketball and all that, they know that. They know the team that I was dealt with.
“If you switched me and Steph out with the team that won the championships, it’d be the same thing. So you’ve got to take the good with the bad, and that’s cool. It put me in a position to make money for me and my family. I ran with that.”
It certainly is a bold statement from Ellis, who played for the Warriors from 2005 until being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks midway through the 2011-12 NBA season — in part to allow Golden State to build around Curry.
Ellis was a talented player in his own right; he averaged 19.6 points and 4.4 assists on 46.5-percent shooting during his time in the Bay. And Ellis wasn’t surrounded by as much talent, especially once Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson departed from Golden State.
That being said, most of Dub Nation would agree Ellis wasn’t quite in the same realm as Curry.
And though we never truly will know if the Warriors would have won four titles — or perhaps more — had Curry been traded instead of Ellis, there probably aren’t many regrets from fans or the organization.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 08: Richie Palacios #1 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after hitting a two-run single during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on August 08, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It wasn’t to the same degree as Friday night, but for the second straight day, the Yankees beat the Braves with some dramatics. Ben Rice’s eighth-inning home run ended up proving the difference, despite an Atlanta rally attempt in the ninth inning. George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones also had nice days, as the Yankees eked out another needed one-run win, this time on Old-Timers’ Day.
As that was happening, there was plenty of other baseball action on Saturday. Let’s check in on some of it in today’s edition of the Rivalry Roundup.
Tampa Bay Rays (70-46) 3, Seattle Mariners (56-62) 2
The Rays used a bullpen game to pick up a win over the Mariners, as seven Tampa Bay pitcher combined to hold Seattle to just two runs. That makes five wins in a row and 15 victories in the last 19 games for the Rays, who maintained a 4.5-game AL East lead over the Yankees.
It was an unfortunate ending to the day for a Seattle fan, as they had their own Old-Timers’ Day of sorts at T-Mobile Park, celebrating its 50th years as a franchise by honoring its voted 50 best Mariners. The festivities included a ceremonial first pitch from aging former skipper/Yankees icon Lou Piniella, and Alex Rodriguez’s first time back in Seattle as an honored guest (he got a nicer hand than when he returned as a player, for sure). But the modern players continued to disappoint, falling four games behind 60-58 Houston in an ugly AL West race.
The Mariners took an initial lead thanks to a Josh Naylor solo homer in the second, but Victor Mesa Jr. hit one of his own to tie things back up in the fourth. That was the extent of the offense for a little while, as George Kirby was decent for the M’s, while a collection of Rays’ pitchers held things down as well.
The Rays eventually broke that deadlock in the sixth inning after Kirby had left. A Brendan Donovan error, a single, and a walk loaded the bases up for the Rays for Richie Palacios. Tampa Bay’s second baseman came through, lining a single to right that scored two runners.
Seattle got one run back in the seventh thanks to a second Naylor homer. In total, they finished with more hits than the Rays and they had their chances, but they couldn’t add any more. They got one last life line in the ninth inning via a lead-off Julio Rodríguez single, but Naylor couldn’t make it a hat trick, and Donovan later grounded into a game-ending double play.
Other Games
The Athletics (46-71) 7, Boston Red Sox (64-52) 3: Hallelujah, the Red Sox have lost a game — just their fifth L since July 4th. It seemed like this would be an addition to their ridiculous streak, as they scored two runs in the first inning, but the A’s then scored the next seven. Jonah Heim — whose two-run single give the Athletics their first lead — and Donovan Walton each had two RBI days, while pitcher Gage Jump overcame the bad first inning to strike out 11 in a very nice six innings. Boston did bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but this time for once, an opponent was able to snuff them out. They’re now a game and a half behind the Yankees for the top Wild Card spot, though well in front of Texas (who beat Baltimore 5-1) for the the lowest of the three spots.
San Diego Padres (61-57) 3, Houston Astros (60-58) 2: The Astros scored one run and had the go-ahead one at the plate in the ninth inning, but their comeback was too little, too late. The two teams traded a run each early, but a Jackson Merrill homer gave the Padres a lead in the third, and they added another in the fourth, and that lead held up for most of the game. Michael King had a plenty good day on the mound for San Diego, allowing just one run in six innings. Houston went on to threaten in the ninth, but didn’t have enough to completely rally. Their AL West lead was trimmed to half a game by the victorious Rangers.
Chicago White Sox (60-56) 6, Cleveland Guardians (58-60) 3: After a scoreless first five innings, the final couple were action-packed as the first-place White Sox added cushion to their edge on Cleveland. Chicago won thanks mostly to a five-run sixth inning. The Guardians had just scored the game’s first two runs in the top of the sixth, but the ChiSox answered in a big way in the bottom half. Munetaka Murakami homered, while Tristian Peters and Chase Meidroth also had big RBI hits in the frame.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 01: Austin Hedges (27) of the Cleveland Guardians bunts during a MLB game against the Texas Rangers on July 01, 2026 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Yes, Collin Holderman had an awful night and the Guardians lost to the White Sox, but the headline is that the Guardians actually tried to squeeze bunt RHYS HOSKINS home.
In the SECOND inning, with one out and Rhys Hoskins on third and Travis Bazzana on first, Austin Hedges laid down a squeeze bunt to try to score Hoskins. Hoskins, running through a vat of January-tempered molasses, was tagged out. It was truly dumbfounding strategic thinking… clearly coming from the dugout. Stephen, baby, STOP THIS. It’s idiotic.
If the Guardians can find a way to win this afternoon, I will agree to forgive everything that has come before. That’s how important this game is. 2:10PM. Another bad starter who will somehow handle Cleveland’s lineup, looks like.
Please, Vogt, do not intentionally give the other team outs. The guys are doing a good enough job of that on their own.
The Detroit Tigers evened up their three-game road series against the San Francisco Giants with an 8-0 victory on Saturday evening at Oracle Park. Jackson Jobe threw five scoreless innings in his triumphant return from Tommy John surgery and the offense used a six-run seventh to blow things open.
For the final episode of the nine-game West Coast road trip, right-hander Troy Melton will climb the hill looking to seize the series. The 25-year-old’s two games have both been seven-inning, shutout efforts, allowing 6 hits and four walks while striking out nine for a 2.66 FIP and a 0.71 WHIP — good enough to earn his sixth and seventh wins of the season.
While Melton continues his impressive run this summer, his strikeout numbers peaked in mid-July when he K’d nine batters in two straight games over 11 innings of work. Over his last three starts, however, his numbers have fallen to five, five and four, respectively, stretching across 19 frames, but he is still getting the job done.
For the Giants, fellow righty Logan Webb climbs the hill in the midst of what is a bit of a down year by his standards. The 29-year-old, who accrued at least 4.1 fWAR per season over the past five years, suffered through a rough July, in which he posted a bloated 6.59 ERA and extremely mediocre 4.76 FIP over 28 2/3 innings, giving up 29 hits (four home runs) and eight walks while striking out just 17 and hitting a couple of batters for a 1-2 record over that stretch.
However, Webb opened up August with a strong showing against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, tossing six frames of shutout ball on five hits and a walk while striking out eight. Has the three-time All-Star turned the corner? Find out on Sunday afternoon in the series finale.
Detroit Tigers (57-60) vs. San Francisco Giants (49-68)
Time (ET): 4:05 p.m. ET Place: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California SB Nation Site:McCovey Chronicles Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 118: RHP Troy Melton (7-1, 1.58 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Webb (7-7, 3.74 ERA)
