Category: Sports News

Worldwide Sports News

Posted on

Why The NHL's Stanley Cup Favorites Could Or Couldn't Win

Entering a new NHL season, all 32 teams begin with the same record, but each of them has different goals.

Most teams are on the pursuit of greatness, looking to win a Stanley Cup, while others are in a different phase, looking for small wins to use as stepping stones.

Predicting who wins the Stanley Cup is always fun to put together, even if it's quite challenging to get it right. Each contender has their strengths and weaknesses.

Here are the five teams with the best odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2025-26, according to sportbook BetMGM, and why they could or could not win it all.

Florida Panthers

To the surprise of very few, the Panthers are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, currently at 7.00 odds (+600).

The Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup champions and are returning with virtually the same roster. Although some moves will need to be made to fit under the salary cap once Matthew Tkachuk returns from his injury, the Panthers are expected to roster a lineup as strong as it was last year after the trade deadline, when they added Brad Marchand and Seth Jones.

Why they could win: The Panthers have more depth and experience than any team in the NHL. They play a physical brand of hockey that translates to playoff success, and whether they are outmatched in skill or not, they'll outwork their opponents until they win. They have the true makings of a modern-day dynasty. 

Why they could not win: Fatigue will eventually play a role. They've been to the Stanley Cup final three straight times, have had significant injuries to key players, such as Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, and their top players are expected to go to the 2026 Olympics. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is also 36, and he's played a lot of hockey that could catch up to him.

Chasing History: Can the Panthers Pull Off the NHL’s First Three-Peat Since 1983?Chasing History: Can the Panthers Pull Off the NHL’s First Three-Peat Since 1983?By Anthony Carbone, The Hockey News intern.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche are tied for the second-best odds of winning the Stanley Cup at 9.00 (+800), according to BetMGM.

With superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, the Avalanche are always a threat to make a long run. Valeri Nichushkin, Artturi Lehkonen and Gabriel Landeskog will hopefully be healthy all season long, and Martin Necas' chemistry with MacKinnon should only improve. 

Why they could win: The Avalanche have the playoff experience as well and the stars to back it up. MacKinnon and Makar alone have the skill to win a series, but their secondary scorers and the value they provide outside of their offense can win them games.

The Avs are the fastest team in the league, according to NHL Edge. If they can use their home-ice advantage effectively, they can beat any team.

Why they could not win: Although they were crowned Cup champions in 2021-22, they haven't made it past the second round since then. In fact, they have only made it past the second round once in the MacKinnon Era. They have the roster to do so, but putting it together has proved to be a difficult task to replicate. Considering the time Landeskog and Nichushkin have missed since the Cup win, it's uncertain whether they will be able to play the full season.

Vegas Golden Knights

Tied with the Avalanche in odds are the Golden Knights, which used this off-season to bolster their lineup with superstar playmaker Mitch Marner.

Their post-season experience stretches further than the Avalanche's, and their play style differs, but they remain a threat to win their second Stanley Cup championship. 

Why they could win: The Golden Knights are the last team to defeat the Panthers in the playoffs, and they did so by being stingy defensively and physical.

Led by Jack Eichel, the Golden Knights blend skill and grit to a tee. Marner's playmaking should elevate Eichel's game, and they can balance out their scoring by separating Mark Stone from Eichel.

Why they could not win: The Golden Knights are an older team, and fatigue has caught up to them in recent years. When the playoffs roll around, the Golden Knights seem to be getting worse, increasing the mental errors a team usually cleans up by the playoffs. If their offensive philosophies remain the same and they enter the playoffs fatigued, similar results will occur. 

Mitch Marner Should Make Golden Knights' Jack Eichel A Rocket Richard ContenderMitch Marner Should Make Golden Knights' Jack Eichel A Rocket Richard ContenderNew Vegas Golden Knights teammates Mitch Marner and superstar Jack Eichel are expected to create magic in Sin City.

Carolina Hurricanes:

The Hurricanes, too, went out and continued to chase big names, adding Nikolaj Ehlers to their core. Their odds now sit at 9.25 (+825).

Ehlers may not solve Carolina's size or physicality issue, but he'll improve the quality and the quantity of chances the Hurricanes create. The Canes never seem to have much of an issue escaping the Metropolitan Division, but the Eastern Conference final has proved to be a task too big for them to tackle.

Why they could win: Like the Avalanche, the Hurricanes play fast, are relentless on the puck and use home ice to their advantage, going 31-9-1 at home last season. The Hurricanes, at their best, can skate teams out of the building, and they are more than equipped to do so again this year. 

Why they could not win: Physical teams that shrink the ice, such as the Panthers and previously the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers, have not only defeated the Hurricanes but steamrolled them.

The Hurricanes have yet to find a way to break down these teams' defensive structure and are unwilling to change their play style to do so. If nothing changes, it'll be another year of similar results for the Hurricanes. 

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers came out empty-handed in their two straight runs to the Stanley Cup final, but just accomplishing what they did is no small feat. The Oilers find ways to win in the playoffs, and that's a valuable trait that not many teams possess. Their odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2025-26 are 9.50 (+850). 

Why they could win: With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers always have a chance to win. The duo steals games singlehandedly more than any other duo in the NHL, and it's why they've gone on long playoff runs.

Why they could not win: Goaltending and depth have been issues for the Oilers since McDavid was drafted, and it appears to be an issue again heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

At times during their playoff runs, the Oilers got plenty of depth scoring and strong goaltending, but it came in spurts. When the well dried, the Oilers felt out of place. The 2026 NHL trade deadline will be key for the Oilers, but it's hard to imagine roster changes that can fix all their holes. 

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Posted on

William Nylander's Italy Trip: What This NHL-Serie A Partnership Actually Means For The Maple Leafs

William Nylander was already heading to Italy in February to represent Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but the Toronto Maple Leafs forward is going a bit earlier. The player is one of 25 who will take part in the annual NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour on Friday.

For the first time, the tour will be in Italy as the NHL and Lega Serie A begin to reveal more details about their content collaboration partnership that was announced last month. The media tour takes place one day before the 2025-26 Serie A season kicks off. Nylander is no stranger to the European media tour, having participated in it before. He spends his offseason in Sweden, so he doesn’t have to cross the world for it.

Both leagues have framed the partnership as an opportunity to promote both their brands and sports and create cross-sport opportunities ahead of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The partnership was inspired by a collaboration back in March that saw Scudetto’s Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi exchange jerseys with New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad at Madison Square Garden.

This partnership may even lead to bigger cross-sport opportunities in the not-too-distant future, such as an exchange of jerseys between Nylander and a Serie A club player, or even the NHL's Global Series games expanding to Italy.

The Story Behind NHL's Serie A Partnership

Here's what actually matters about this NHL-Serie A collaboration.

It started back in March when Rangers center Mika Zibanejad exchanged jerseys with some Serie A legends at Madison Square Garden. Now both leagues are trying to milk this cross-sport promotion ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. The media tour happens right before Serie A's 2025-26 season kicks off. Smart marketing timing, if nothing else.

What This Could Mean for Future Maple Leafs Content?

The partnership isn't just about photo ops and jersey swaps. We might actually see some interesting crossover content coming. Think Nylander trading jerseys with AC Milan or Inter Milan players. Maybe even some behind-the-scenes content showing how European hockey players and soccer stars train differently. Could this lead to NHL Global Series games in Italy? The league is definitely planting seeds for that possibility.

Will This Impact Nylander's Season Preparation?

This is essentially a one-day media commitment in Europe. Nylander does these European tours regularly anyway. He knows the drill, and it's not going to mess with his training schedule. The guy spends his entire offseason in Sweden, so he's already in European time zones. This won't affect his readiness for training camp or the season.

The Bigger Picture for Hockey in Europe

This NHL-Serie A partnership shows how serious the league is about European expansion. Italy isn't exactly a hockey hotbed. But with the 2026 Olympics coming to Milano Cortina, the timing makes perfect sense. The NHL wants to capitalize on that Olympic spotlight. Having star players like Nylander involved helps legitimize these international partnerships.

What Leafs Fans Should Actually Care About?

This is mostly just good PR for the NHL. Nylander gets some international exposure, which is never bad for his brand. The Leafs benefit from having a player involved in league-wide initiatives.

Latest stories: 

Matthew Knies Invited To USA Olympic Camp Alongside Maple Leafs Teammate Auston Matthews

Maple Leafs 2025-26 Regular Season Tickets Go On Sale Wednesday

Why The Maple Leafs’ Best Chance to Replace Mitch Marner Will Come At The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline

Posted on

Phillies ride Luzardo's 12 K's and small-ball rally to sweep Mariners

Phillies ride Luzardo's 12 K's and small-ball rally to sweep Mariners originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The ebbs and flows of a season have been a common theme for Rob Thomson.

For Phillies lefty Jesús Luzardo, in his first season in Philadelphia, ‘ebbs and flows’ might be an understatement.

The southpaw’s masterful outing Wednesday afternoon was the difference as the Phillies swept the Mariners with a 11-2 victory.

Luzardo entered the day with a 3.50 ERA in the month August after posting marks over 5.00 in each of the previous three months.

“Attack hitters. Trying not to be too fine, just go get them. Trust your stuff and power the ball through the zone,” Thomson said before the game when asked about the key to sustaining success.

The southpaw looked like he was taking the message to heart. After running a 3-0 count to Randy Arozarena to open his outing, Luzardo battled back to record the out. He struck out Cal Raleigh before Julio Rodríguez golfed a 1-2 slider for his 25th homer. Still, Luzardo fanned the side in the first.

He struck out the side again in the second, giving him six punchouts for his first six outs. By the third, he had eight strikeouts among his first nine outs — becoming just the seventh Phillies pitcher since 1974 to do so.

When Luzardo notched his ninth strikeout in the fourth, freezing Eugenio Suárez, it marked the most strikeouts by Phillies starting pitching in a three-game series since 1901 with 31 K’s.

The Phillies’ offense gave him early support. Trea Turner extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a first-inning triple, then scored on Kyle Schwarber’s sacrifice fly.

In the second, Harrison Bader singled and advanced to third on Suárez’s throwing error before Bryson Stott doubled him home to make it 2-1. Stott is hitting .300 with an .855 OPS with runners in scoring position.

In the fourth, Max Kepler added on with his 13th homer of the season to right field, pushing the lead to 3-1.

Thomson had voiced confidence in Kepler before the game, noting, “I think Kepler’s swinging the bat pretty good.”

Luzardo’s outing came to an end when Thomson turned to veteran David Robertson for the seventh.

His final line: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 K

Coming into the start, Luzardo leaned on his fastball and sweeper — 35% fastballs and 28% sweepers. Against a righty-heavy Mariners lineup with plenty of swing-and-miss, he flipped the mix. The southpaw threw 43% sweepers and 35% fastballs, inducing 11 whiffs on the sweeper.

Suárez, who has gotten off to a slow start with Seattle, greeted Robertson with a solo shot into the left-field seats to bring the Mariners within one, 3-2. It was the first run Robertson had allowed in his third stint with Philadelphia.

The Phillies turned to small ball in the seventh to break the game open. Brandon Marsh drew a leadoff walk and Bader was plunked, setting up Bryson Stott, who executed a hit-and-run to perfection with a single the other way that chased home Marsh. Stott then swiped second, putting two runners in scoring position for Trea Turner.

Turner chopped one back up the middle off Cole Young’s glove to bring in Bader for his fourth hit of the afternoon, giving him a Major League-leading 44 multi-hit games this season. After Turner stole second, Schwarber punched a two-run single through the right side and Bryce Harper followed with an RBI knock of his own.

By the end of the inning, the Phillies had strung together four straight singles, five runs and 17 total hits on the day, stretching their lead to 8-2.

In the eighth, José Alvarado came on … and so did the standing ovation.

Making his first appearance since serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, the lefty worked a scoreless inning and struck out Raleigh to end the frame.

In the series, Raleigh — who has a league-leading 47 homers — was 1-for-12 with 8 strikeouts.

In the bottom half of the eighth, Turner hit was way on again. This time, an RBI-infield single — his fifth hit of the game and tenth total hit against M’s pitching in three games.

And it wouldn’t be an exciting series without a Schwarber roundtripper, right? The Phillies slugger drilled a two-run shot — his 45th of the season and the Phillies’ 20th hit of the game — giving Philadelphia a dominating 11-2 advantage.

Joe Ross recorded the final three outs and the Phillies move to 74-53 on the year, notching their 40th victory at home.

A sweep, now what?

The Phils will open another three-game set Friday at home against the Washington Nationals.

Coming off an off-day Thursday, Taijuan Walker (4-6, 3.34 ERA) will make 16th start of the season.

Walker has fired at least six innings or more and allowed two or fewer runs in each of his past three starts. In his last start against Washington (Aug 16), he allowed just two earned runs over 6 2/3 innings.

The Nats have yet to announce a starter. First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m. ET.

Posted on

Phillies ride Luzardo's 12 K's and small-ball rally to sweep Mariners

Phillies ride Luzardo's 12 K's and small-ball rally to sweep Mariners originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The ebbs and flows of a season have been a common theme for Rob Thomson.

For Phillies lefty Jesús Luzardo, in his first season in Philadelphia, ‘ebbs and flows’ might be an understatement.

The southpaw’s masterful outing Wednesday afternoon was the difference as the Phillies swept the Mariners with a 11-2 victory.

Luzardo entered the day with a 3.50 ERA in the month August after posting marks over 5.00 in each of the previous three months.

“Attack hitters. Trying not to be too fine, just go get them. Trust your stuff and power the ball through the zone,” Thomson said before the game when asked about the key to Luzardo sustaining success.

The southpaw looked like he was taking the message to heart. After running a 3-0 count to Randy Arozarena to open his outing, Luzardo battled back to record the out. He struck out Cal Raleigh before Julio Rodríguez golfed a 1-2 slider for his 25th homer. Still, Luzardo fanned the side in the first.

He struck out the side again in the second, giving him six punchouts for his first six outs. By the third, he had eight strikeouts among his first nine outs — becoming just the seventh Phillies pitcher since 1974 to do so.

When Luzardo notched his ninth strikeout in the fourth, freezing Eugenio Suárez, it marked the most strikeouts by Phillies starting pitching in a three-game series since 1901 with 31 K’s.

The Phillies’ offense gave him early support. Trea Turner extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a first-inning triple, then scored on Kyle Schwarber’s sacrifice fly.

In the second, Harrison Bader singled and advanced to third on Suárez’s throwing error before Bryson Stott doubled him home to make it 2-1. Stott is hitting .308 with an .870 OPS with runners in scoring position.

“I’m just trying to take good at-bats and put the ball in play somewhere,” Stott said of his approach with runners on.

In the fourth, Max Kepler added on with his 13th homer of the season to right field, pushing the lead to 3-1.

Thomson had voiced confidence in Kepler before the game, noting, “I think Kepler’s swinging the bat pretty good.”

Luzardo’s outing came to an end when Thomson turned to veteran David Robertson for the seventh.

His final line: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 K

Coming into the start, Luzardo leaned on his fastball and sweeper — 35% fastballs and 28% sweepers. Against a righty-heavy Mariners lineup with plenty of swing-and-miss, he flipped the mix. The southpaw threw 43% sweepers and 35% fastballs, inducing 11 whiffs on the sweeper.

“My stuff felt great today. Obviously, a lot of sweepers and it really worked out,” Luzardo said on his outing. “We did some work in between [starts], just understanding my mechanics and trying to get a little more in front on certain pitches and I think that that helped the sweeper today, but just physically, I’ve been feeling really good.

Suárez, who has gotten off to a slow start with Seattle, greeted Robertson with a solo shot into the left-field seats to bring the Mariners within one, 3-2. It was the first run Robertson had allowed in his third stint with Philadelphia.

The Phillies turned to small ball in the seventh to break the game open. Brandon Marsh drew a leadoff walk and Bader was plunked, setting up Bryson Stott, who executed a hit-and-run to perfection with a single the other way that chased home Marsh. Stott then swiped second, putting two runners in scoring position for Trea Turner.

Turner chopped one back up the middle off Cole Young’s glove to bring in Bader for his fourth hit of the afternoon, giving him a Major League-leading 44 multi-hit games this season. After Turner stole second, Schwarber punched a two-run single through the right side and Bryce Harper followed with an RBI knock of his own.

“We can beat you a bunch of different ways,” Turner said on their identity as an offense. “We’re gonna have to walk, we’re gonna have to slug … and it makes it tough for those guys over there.”

By the end of the inning, the Phillies had strung together four straight singles, five runs and 17 total hits on the day, stretching their lead to 8-2.

In the eighth, José Alvarado came on … and so did the standing ovation.

“That was great,” Thomson said of the ovation. “I didn’t know how the fan base would react, but I think they understand that it was an honest mistake. And I really love the fact that they welcomed him back.”

“It’s something that makes me really happy,” Alvarado said through a team interpreter.

Making his first appearance since serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, the lefty worked a scoreless inning and struck out Raleigh to end the frame.

In the series, Raleigh — who has a league-leading 47 homers — was 1-for-12 with 8 strikeouts.

“I know he’s a really good hitter,” Thomson said of Raleigh. “I think we just kept him off balance. That’s really the key to him.”

In the bottom half of the eighth, Turner hit his way on again. This time, an RBI-infield single — his fifth hit of the game and tenth total hit against M’s pitching.

And it wouldn’t be an exciting series without a Schwarber roundtripper, right? The Phillies slugger drilled a two-run shot — his 45th of the season and the team’s 20th hit of the game — giving Philadelphia a dominating 11-2 advantage.

Joe Ross recorded the final three outs and the Phillies move to 74-53 on the year, notching their 40th victory at home.

1901 was the last time the Phillies had multiple games with 20+ hits twice in a three-game span.

Even with the victory and historic performances, the team is still feeling the absence of their ace, Zack Wheeler.

“He’s a key piece for us, a leader, he’s a father and a husband … so that comes first and foremost,” Luzardo said.

“We want to make sure that the person, Zack Wheeler, is okay,” Stott added. “We’re just going out there and playing our game … we’re thinking about him and he knows that.”

A sweep, now what?

The Phils will open another three-game set Friday at home against the Washington Nationals.

Coming off an off-day Thursday, Taijuan Walker (4-6, 3.34 ERA) will make 16th start of the season.

Walker has fired at least six innings or more and allowed two or fewer runs in each of his past three starts. In his last start against Washington (Aug 16), he allowed just two earned runs over 6 2/3 innings.

The Nats have yet to announce a starter. First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m. ET.

Posted on

54 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #54

The Columbus Blue Jackets have only had two players wear #54, and none since 2019. 

Today we'll look at who has worn it, what they did, and where they are now. 

Scott Harrington - Harrington played 185 games for the Blue Jackets after being traded to Columbus by Toronto with a conditional pick in 2017 NHL Draft for Kerby Rychel on June 25, 2016. Those 185 games would be spread out over six seasons, with 2018-19 being the year he played the most games at 73. He scored 7 goals and totaled 37 points in his career with Columbus, with the 18-19 season being his most productive with 17. 

During his time in the Columbus organization, he would also play 52 games for the Cleveland Monsters, scoring 7 total points. 

Harrington would sign with San Jose in 2022 and then be traded to New Jersey in February of 2023. New Jersey would then put him on waivers a few days later, where he would be picked up by Anaheim and play 17 games. 

In 2023, Harrington would leave for Europe and play for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss League. After playing just 14 games in 23-24, he would return to North America for the 24-25 season and play for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. 

As of now, he hasn't signed on anywhere to play for 25-26. 

Adam McQuaid - Columbus originally drafted McQuaid in the 2nd round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. McQuaid would never play for the CBJ, though. While he was still in the OHL, he was traded to Boston by Columbus for Boston's 5th-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, on May 16, 2007. The pick that the Jackets sent to Boston ended up being Jamie Benn. 

After playing nine years in Boston, he was traded to the Rangers in 2018. But in 2019, McQuaid was traded to Columbus from New York to help the Jackets with their playoff push. He played in 14 games to end the season before suffering an injury that would ultimately end his career. 

On March 28, 2019, Montreal’s Andrew Shaw gave McQuaid a nasty blindside shot that took him out of the game, and his career. McQuaid told The Athletic, “I definitely wasn’t in a good place physically. Then it weighed on me mentally. I wasn’t feeling like myself. I had many injuries throughout my career, unfortunately. That became part of my story. I look at it more as having overcome different injuries, come back, try to play the same way and not have it affect my outlook on playing. But I was probably at a point where I had the most going on. I had so many different things that were really nagging me. I felt like I wanted to give more. But you hear guys say that they’re asking their bodies to do things and just not getting the response they want.”

McQuaid would finish his career 73 points and one Stanley Cup. 

Who was your favorite #54?

There are 54 days to go until opening night at NWA. 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story. 

More From THN Columbus

Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski Invited To Team USA Olympic CampBlue Jackets' Zach Werenski Invited To Team USA Olympic CampThe Columbus Blue Jackets' defensemen Zach Werenski has been officially invited to the Team USA Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp.  Blue Jackets Sign Brendan Smith To A PTOBlue Jackets Sign Brendan Smith To A PTOThe Columbus Blue Jackets have signed long time veteran Brendan Smith to a PTO today.  Gaudreau Family Scholarship Golf Outing Set For Friday, August 22Gaudreau Family Scholarship Golf Outing Set For Friday, August 22The legacy of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau continues to live on. 
Posted on

Yankees become 1st MLB team to hit 9 home runs in a game twice in one season

TAMPA, Fla. — José Caballero hit two home runs in 86 games with the Tampa Bay Rays this season.

The speedy utilityman matched that total in one night as the New York Yankees put on quite a power show.

“I think it’s from hanging around with these guys,” Caballero explained after helping his new team to a 13-3 victory over the Rays.

In his first game back at George M. Steinbrenner Field to face his former club, Caballero connected twice for his first career multi-homer game.

And he hardly was alone.

Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger both hit two home runs, Aaron Judge launched his 40th of the season and the Yankees equaled a franchise record with nine longballs in a game delayed nearly two hours by rain at the start.

New York also hit nine homers in its second game of the year, a 20-9 victory over Milwaukee on March 29 at Yankee Stadium. That makes the 2025 Bronx Bombers the first squad in major league history to hit nine home runs in a game twice in one season.

“We have a really good offense,” Bellinger said. “You’re going to have ebbs and flows of a 162-game season. It’s not always going to be pretty, but we all believe in each other and the talent is there. We’re doing a good job of putting it all together. It’s really fun to be a part of.”

It was just the fourth time a big league team has hit nine or more homers in a game. The record is 10, set by the Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 14, 1987.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ben Rice also went deep for the Yankees, who won their fourth straight and looked awfully comfortable in a road game at their spring training home.

New York took full advantage of the cozy dimensions before a crowd of 10,046 at George M. Steinbrenner Field, where the Rays are playing while Tropicana Field undergoes repairs.

Judge, Bellinger and Stanton went back-to-back-to-back off Shane Baz to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead four batters into the game.

With that, New York became the first MLB team to hit three consecutive homers in the first inning three times in one season (also March 29 and April 29).

“The first three were just kind of no-doubters, with Judge hitting it almost all the way up the batter’s eye, and then Belly really leaning on one,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “And then Giancarlo, getting to two strikes there, just shot it the other way. In their own kind of way, three really good statement at-bats.”

Posted on

Bobby Witt Jr. hits 100th homer, joining some select company in MLB history

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bobby Witt Jr. knew the ball was gone the moment it left his bat.

Only later did the young Kansas City Royals star realize what kind of company it allowed him to join.

The two-run shot in the eighth inning against Texas merely padded the lead for Kansas City, which went on to a 5-2 victory. It was the fifth straight win for the Royals, who closed to within 2 1/2 games of an AL wild-card berth.

But it also was the 100th career homer for Witt, making him the youngest in franchise history to reach that mark. He made it at the age of 25 years, 66 days, faster than Carlos Beltran when he accomplished it during the 2003 season.

“I want him up there every inning,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “I mean, you look at the lineup and you’re trying to figure out, ‘How many times can we get to the plate? How many guys can we keep on base for him when he does come to the plate?’

“I mean, that’s an immense amount of pressure on a younger player to understand that’s how everybody feels about him,” Quatraro said. “But he has the physical ability, the makeup and the mental capacity to handle it.”

The latest no-doubt shot, which came off Texas reliever Cole Winn and landed an estimated 449 feet to dead center field, made Witt only the fourth player with at least 100 homers and 100 stolen bases through his first four big league seasons. The others are Julio Rodríguez, Darryl Strawberry and Bobby Bonds — some pretty select company.

Witt also become one of six shortstops in the last 95 years to hit at least 100 homers through his age-25 seasons. That list of luminaries includes Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken Jr., Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Hanley Ramirez; of those players, only Rodriguez and Ramirez also had 100 steals by the time they were 25 years old.

“It was special,” Witt admitted, “just seeing the kind of names on the list or whatever they showed. But now, it’s just kind of on to the next. It was special. We enjoy it. And now it’s just onto the next game.”

They keep getting more important for the Royals, who have won five straight and seven of their last eight. They head into the third-game of their four-game set against the Rangers with a chance to inch closer to a wild-card spot, and they proved last year that they could do some postseason damage if they can only get in.

Witt continues to be the catalyst of their second-half surge, too. He’s hitting .291 with 18 homers and 69 RBIs.

“It’s special when he goes out there,” said the Royals’ Seth Lugo, who allowed just two runs on three hits while pitching into the seventh inning. “I’ve been saying it for two years: He goes about his business the same way. He doesn’t get up or down on himself. He’s a master of consistency. That’s what he does.”

Witt also happens to be a slick fielder with a Gold Glove in his trophy case.

But at the plate is where Witt has become a bona fide star. He led the majors with a .332 average last year, when he hit 32 home runs, stole 31 bases and finished with 109 RBIs. And while he may not quite replicate the average, homer total or RBI numbers in this campaign, he already has 32 stolen bases while getting caught just seven times.

“There’s not too many guys that get to 100 (homers),” said Vinnie Pasquantino, who also homered. “And the fourth player in MLB history with 100 stolen bases? It’s not a list I’ll ever be on. I mean, it’s kind of unbelievable."

“He’s one of the best players in the league for a reason,” Pasquantino said. “A superstar.”

Posted on

‘People will be hurting’: WRU recognises anger at plans for two men’s regional sides

  • Welsh union’s plan could see two teams cease to exist

  • Abi Tierney: ‘Change is hard and this is hard for fans’

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has recognised the “hurt and anger” caused by its proposal to reduce the number of professional men’s sides in Wales from four to two, but insisted maintaining the status quo would be a mistake.

Welsh rugby’s governing body has produced a radical plan to turn around the game at club and international level, outlining its ambitions in a 90-page consultation document entitled The Future of Elite Rugby in Wales. There will be a six-week consultation period before the WRU makes a final decision on the plans, and its chief executive, Abi Tierney, has urged people to “improve on the proposals” and provide “something fit for purpose for Welsh rugby”.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Mookie Betts staying at shortstop despite Dodgers’ outfield struggles

DENVER — Mookie Betts has played strong defense in his first full season as a shortstop, but the recent outfield play for the Los Angeles Dodgers has manager Dave Roberts fielding questions about whether the 2018 AL MVP would be more valuable to the team in right field.

Outfield defense has been a problem for Los Angeles, and Roberts called out Teoscar Hernández’s play in right after a 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Hernández failed to catch Ezequiel Tovar’s high popup that landed for a double in the ninth inning, and Tovar scored the winning run two pitches later.

But Roberts isn’t ready to move Betts from shortstop, where he has played all but one inning this season. Betts has a .984 fielding percentage and has committed just six errors in 376 chances.

“There’s got to be an alternative, right?” Roberts said. “And I think right now, the way Mookie’s playing at short, not bouncing him around, I think we feel very good about it.”

Betts met with Roberts after Monday night’s loss but the manager said it was just to check in.

“Mookie pops in my office all the time and we were just talking about his swing,” Roberts said. “I wanted him to check in with me about where he’s at, certain checkpoints as we go through the season, and that was a check-in.”

The Dodgers have options in the outfield, but Michael Conforto has struggled at the plate and Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández and Hyeseong Kim are on the injured list.

Edman and Hernández can play infield and outfield, which would strengthen the defense.

Teoscar Hernández, despite his recent offensive struggles, is a stronger option with the bat than Conforto. The slugger had an RBI double in the first inning that gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

“Given everything that we were going through, we’ve gone through, we’re still finding ways to win a lot of ballgames,” Roberts said. “Just in totality, we can all do a better job, all of us. And so I just refuse to try to pin it on one position, one person. ... That’s just not what I do.”

Posted on

2 Devils Who Could Be Nice Surprises

The New Jersey Devils will be looking to take another step in the right direction in 2025-26 after getting back into the playoffs this past spring. They certainly have a good-looking roster on paper, as they have big-time stars in Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the charge.

Yet, the Devils have some players who could be nice surprises for them in 2025-26, too. Let's discuss two of them now. 

Cody Glass

Cody Glass proved to be a solid fit after the Devils acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. In 14 games with the Devils following the trade, he posted two goals, seven points, and a plus-4 rating. This was after he had just four goals in 15 points in 51 games with the Penguins before the trade.

Clearly, the move to the Devils benefited Glass, and it is going to be interesting to see if he can build off it in 2025-26. The potential for the 2017 first-round pick to be a strong part of the Devils' top nine is there if he can tap into his offensive potential a bit more next season. 

Thomas Bordeleau 

Earlier this off-season, the Devils acquired forward Thomas Bordeleau from the San Jose Sharks. While this was one of the smaller moves the Devils made this summer, fans should not sleep on Bordeleau. He has shown in the past that he can produce at the NHL level, and it will be interesting to see if the change of scenery benefits him, like it did Glass. 

Bordeleau showed promise with the Sharks during the 2023-24 season, specifically, as he recorded six goals and 11 points in 27 games. If he gets the chance to play on the Devils' NHL roster, the 23-year-old could give them their solid secondary scoring, which is a real need. 

New Devils Projected Top Six Has Interesting LookNew Devils Projected Top Six Has Interesting LookThe New Jersey Devils certainly have some decisions to make when it comes to their NHL roster. After bringing in multiple new players, there should be plenty of competition during training camp. This is especially so when noting that they also have young players who should be competing for spots, too. 
Posted on

Jacob deGrom to miss scheduled start for Texas Rangers due to shoulder fatigue

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Texas Rangers are going to skip Jacob deGrom’s scheduled start because of shoulder fatigue, but the club said it merely is managing his workload and he is not expected to spend time on the injured list.

The five-time All-Star, who was supposed to start Wednesday night in Kansas City, was examined in Texas by Dr. Keith Meister, and the checks came back clean. That means deGrom could make his next start as soon as next week.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner has pitched 140 1/3 innings across 24 starts this season, going 10-5 with a 2.76 ERA. That is by far the most innings deGrom has thrown since 2019, when he eclipsed 200 for a third consecutive year with the New York Mets.

The right-hander missed most of the 2022 season with a stress reaction in his shoulder. He underwent his second Tommy John surgery the following year, and made it back in time to make three brief starts last September.