Birmingham and Ipswich will be aiming high, while Millwall and Derby are expected to battle for a place in the playoffs
This week the tussle between Birmingham City and Ipswich Town, who meet in the curtain-raiser on Friday, to sign Chuba Akpom – the runaway top scorer in the division with Middlesbrough three years ago (Viktor Gyökeres was runner-up) – was tantamount to both sides taking it in turns to flex their muscles. Despite a sole Premier League win this calendar year, Ipswich were relegated with more decorum than Leicester City and Southampton and Kieran McKenna’s side are armed to attack the second tier, even if Omari Hutchinson joins Liam Delap in departing.
Clifford spent each of the last three seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Toronto Marlies. During this past season with the AHL squad, he recorded four goals, four assists, eight points, and 32 penalty minutes in 17 games.
Clifford kicked off his Blues tenure during the 2020 NHL off-season when he signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the Central Division club in free agency. From there, he spent two seasons as a Blue, where he recorded four goals, eight points, 30 penalty minutes, and 71 hits. His time with the Blues ended during the 2021-22 season when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for future considerations.
In 753 career NHL games split between the Los Angeles Kings, Blues, and Toronto Maple Leafs, Clifford recorded 66 goals, 78 assists, 144 points, 905 penalty minutes, and 1,617 hits. He also lifted the Stanley Cup twice as a member of the Kings.
EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers' need for goaltending help is one of the worst-kept secrets in hockey.
Just because they can add a goaltender to their team doesn’t mean that it’s a guarantee. Many hockey pundits around the league thought the Oilers would address their goalie situation during the regular season. Yet, they went through their latest playoff run with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard again.
Carter Hart was recently acquitted of criminal charges concerning the 2018 Hockey Canada group sexual assault case. Despite not being found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the NHL has deemed the actions of the five players as “very disturbing” and “unacceptable.”
There are multiple goaltenders out there – via trade or free agency – that would be a better gamble for the Oilers than Hart.
For this article, we will examine Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) as the metric to measure these players against one another. Hart’s GSAx over his last three seasons are as follows:
2023-24: -0.7 (26 GP)
2022-23: 10.3 (55 GP)
2021-22: -6.6 (45 GP)
Adding these together gives us a positive 1.0 GSAx over three seasons. Here are a few names that hit that mark or exceed it.
Ilya Samsonov
The only goalie on this list who doesn’t exceed Hart’s benchmark is former Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov. In 29 games with the Oilers’ Pacific Division rival, the 28-year-old recorded a 0.6 GSAx.
While this mark is better than Skinner and Pickard (-1.5 & -9.1 respectively), it’s not better than Hart. However, Samsonov is no stranger to being in a goalie tandem and could be signed to an inexpensive contract.
Casey DeSmith
While the Dallas Stars are going through their salary issues, their backup goaltender had a great season in 2024-25. Through 27 games played, Casey DeSmith recorded a whopping 15.9 GSAx.
He arguably had the best season of his career, which makes the possibility of him departing the organization less likely. He could be a better backup for Skinner than what Pickard provides the team on the ice.
Scott Wedgewood
In a similar vein to DeSmith, the Colorado Avalanche’s backup, Scott Wedgewood, had a solid season. Wedgewood played 24 games and earned a respectable 3.2 GSAx.
It’s tough to envision the Avalanche departing with Wedgewood, unless they could make up for his loss via free agency (see Samsonov) or take a swing at Hart (if and when he becomes re-eligible to play in the NHL).
Soderblom recorded a 1.0 GSAx through 36 games played while playing for the basement-dwelling Blackhawks. Despite settling with the Blackhawks before their arbitration date, would a change of scenery still be plausible? A player settling with a team before an arbitration hearing does not equal loyalty, for either the player or the team. Ty Emberson was traded to the Oilers after signing a contract before his arbitration date with the San Jose Sharks.
While none of these goaltenders are Ilya Sorokin or Jeremy Swayman, each one presents a solid case to be an excellent backup for Skinner. They are also better options to bring aboard the Oilers than Hart.
Nobody is safe from Draymond Green’s trash talk, not even Steph Curry’s brother Seth.
The younger Curry, on the latest episode of his podcast, “Greatest Of Their Era,” was discussing with co-host Travonne Edwards and guest C.J. Watson the role of a journeyman NBA player, and shared a hilarious story about the time Green’s trash talk led to an awkward moment for his longtime teammate’s brother.
“I’m at the free throw line, and Draymond’s out there. We’re talking … I say something, and he’s like, ‘Why are you talking? You’re a journeyman. Every team in the league.’ It was funny because Steph was right there,” Seth Curry recalled. “It was kind of awkward.
“Draymond, that’s my guy, but he’s going to talk when we’re on the floor. But I’m talking back to him. I’m a journeyman, but I’m talking back to him like ‘That’s a badge of honor for me.’ How many guys do you know that’s been on two teams and out the league? I’d rather be on eight, nine teams, have a 12-year career, than be one-and-done. I take pride in it.”
The younger Curry went undrafted out of Duke in 2013 before signing with the Memphis Grizzlies ahead of the 2013-14 NBA season. Seth later played for the Cleveland Cavaliers that same season and since has played for seven additional teams (Phoenix, Sacramento, Dallas, Portland, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Charlotte).
Simply put, he’s a journeyman.
And that’s something he takes great pride in, as he prepares to play in his 12th NBA season.
It’s unclear where Seth, currently a free agent, will play next season, but there reportedly is mutual interest between him and the Warriors.
If he were to join his brother in Golden State next season, it’s fair to assume he will be safe from Green’s trash talk … right?
Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford is reportedly calling it a career.
According to John Hoven, better known online as The Mayor, Clifford is retiring after a 15-year professional career and joining the Maple Leafs in a player development role. The 34-year-old has spent five seasons with Toronto, split between their NHL and AHL squads.
Before joining the Maple Leafs, Clifford won two Stanley Cups with the L.A. Kings, playing an integral role in the club’s 2014 win. The crash and bash forward scored one goal and six assists in 24 playoff games during those playoffs.
Clifford, who hails from Ayr, Ontario, along with goaltender Jack Campbell, were acquired by the Maple Leafs in a trade with the Kings in February 2020 for Trevor Moore, a 2020 third-round pick, and a 2021 third-round selection.
After just one year with Toronto, Clifford signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the St. Louis Blues. He played just one season with the Blues before being traded back to the Maple Leafs for future considerations in November 2021.
Clifford appeared in 23 games with the Maple Leafs in 2021-22, plus nine games with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. That would be Clifford’s second-last season playing in the NHL games, with his final two appearances coming in October of 2022.
The veteran forward signed a two-year, $1.53 million extension with Toronto in March 2022, though the remainder of his games were played with the Marlies. Over three years with the AHL club, which included him signing a one-year contract with the team last summer, Clifford scored 22 goals and 34 assists in 116 games.
Not only did Clifford play in the Marlies’ top-six throughout his tenure, but he was also a key leader within the club, helping usher in the next group of Maple Leafs prospects. “Cliffy was my first linemate in the NHL, and he’s become one of my best friends,” former Maple Leafs prospect Alex Steeves, now with the Boston Bruins organization, said.
“He’s someone I think any guy should talk to who has aspirations of playing in the NHL. To play as long as he did as a fourth liner is really tough. He’s helped me out a lot and I know he advocates for me as well. And he’s a good friend.”
Clifford was most recently spotted working with the Maple Leafs’ prospects at the club’s development camp in early July. He was on the ice with the players, and in some cases, skating side-by-side with former Kings and Maple Leafs teammate, Jake Muzzin, who’s also a part of Toronto’s development staff.
Clifford’s storied career concludes with the forward tallying 66 goals and 78 assists in 735 regular season games, plus four goals and 12 assists in 65 playoff games, split between the Kings, Blues, and Maple Leafs.
The trade deadline has passed, but the Mets still need help. I’m here with some suggestions that may fit the bill.
But first, let’s spell out how badly Carlos Mendoza’s team is playing, to the point where he called out his hitters after Wednesday’s near no-hitter by Gavin Williams for not making the necessary in-game adjustments to the way they were being pitched.
Here are some key stats:
Since June 13, the Mets are 18-28, even with a seven-game winning streak during that time, so at this point it feels like more than simply a bad stretch.
For the season, their .231 team batting average with runners in scoring position ranks 27th in MLB, and if you’ve watched closely, that number probably even feels too high.
Since the All-Star break, their team OPS is .639, dead last in MLB, and their .213 batting average ranks 29th.
Their .225 batting average against left-handed pitching ranks 25th in MLB.
And lest we think it’s all about the offense, since June 14, their starting pitchers are averaging 4.7 innings per start, which is why they’ve almost certainly spent more money than any team in baseball shuttling relievers back and forth from Triple-A to replenish the bullpen on a daily basis.
Yep, it’s bad, and in truth, the only way out of this extended run of bad baseball is if their stars start playing like stars, above all Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso on the hitting side, and Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga on the pitching side.
But it doesn’t mean a few changes wouldn’t help.
With that in mind, I offer these ideas...
Jun 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) reacts after hitting a ninth inning walkoff two run home run against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - USA TODAY Sports
1. Hire J.D. Martinez as a sounding board/troubleshooter of sorts for the Mets’ hitters
The Mets can use this as a way to address the problems of making the in-game adjustments that Mendoza brought up Wednesday.
Why not take a shot with the retired Martinez as some form of supplemental hitting coach? The guy was known throughout baseball as a hitting savant during his career, after all, and he seemed to have a positive effect on the Mets’ clubhouse last season, even if age seemed to catch up with him as a DH late in the year.
Ideally, the current hitting coaches, Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, would welcome the knowledge Martinez would bring. If not, well, they don’t have much room for complaint after Mendonza, unwittingly or not, essentially raised questions about whether they’re doing what’s necessary to help players make the in-game adjustments the manager deemed as lacking.
Maybe Steve Cohen could be convinced to make it worthwhile for Martinez to put his burgeoning pickleball career (he signed a deal in July to play professionally) on hold for a couple of months in pursuit of a World Series ring.
2. Bring back Luisangel Acuña from the minors
Brett Baty’s not hitting (again) and for a team struggling to score runs, Acuña offers more ways to help win low-scoring games, coming off the bench as a base-stealer and quality defender.
Hey, it’s not like there are other obvious solutions for this offense. At this point, it’s nothing short of mystifying as to why Lindor, Alonso, Soto and others have been so streaky and worse, shrinking at big moments this season.
This is largely the same offense that thrived in clutch situations when it counted most last September and October. The addition of the great Soto was supposed to be the final piece, yet he hasn’t hit in the clutch, and lately he’s slumping the way he did early in the season, even chasing pitches out of the strike zone, negating his biggest strength.
And so, with no assurance these Mets will break out in a big way, recalling Acuña could be a way of trying to win on the margins.
As one small example, had Acuña been pinch-running in the ninth inning on Monday night, and not Tyrone Taylor, there’s a good chance the Mets would have won the game. Taylor is fast, but not as fast as Acuña, and that likely would have been enough for third base coach Mike Sarbaugh to send him home on Lindor’s double, rather than hold Taylor as he did.
Baty offers more offensive potential than Acuña, but he’s slumping lately, continuing his pattern of running hot and cold with the bat, so why not take advantage of Acuña’s baserunning and superior defense to help win close games?
3. Get Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean up here pronto and put Frankie Montas in the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever
Then, maybe sooner than later, make room for the second of the kid pitchers, either as a starter or a bulk reliever, depending on whether Clay Holmes can build on his good start on Tuesday, albeit only five innings.
As for the pitching, there were opportunities for McLean and/or Sproat to make spot starts in recent weeks, but now it’s different. It’s August, both have pitched well in Triple-A, with Sproat on Wednesday being named International League Pitcher of the Month for July, and Montas has a 6.68 ERA in seven starts.
Either one is likely a better option and even if they wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem of length for Mets’ starters, as their innings likely would be limited, either or both could present an opportunity for Montas and even Holmes to slide into roles as bulk relievers. And that is very much needed since the Mets now have a bullpen full of high-leverage relievers, which these days means primarily one-inning relievers.
David Stearns himself indicated the looming presence of Sproat and McLean was the reason he wasn’t willing to pay the high prices being asked for starting pitchers at the trade deadline, so the Mets must feel they’re about ready.
If their success in Triple-A translates to the big league level, it would eventually give the Mets the flexibility to create those quality bulk relievers they need. If a spot in the pen needs to be opened, the Mets could certainly live without Ryne Stanek and his inconsistency.
All in all, why not? It’s time to try something different.
A North Carolina judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the 1983 N.C. State men’s basketball team, shutting down the national championship team’s request for name, image and likeness compensation. Lorenzo Charles sealed the victory with a buzzer-beating dunk, and coach Jim Valvano rushed the court — a moment that encapsulated the thrill of March Madness and was used in promotions for years. The players filed a suit requesting a jury trial and “reasonable compensation” in June.
The sale of the Boston Celtics to William Chisholm will likely close late next week or early the following week, according to three people familiar with the details who were not authorized to speak publicly.
The deal still needs approval from the league’s board of governors, who comprise the 30 team owners. The vote can occur remotely and does not require a league meeting.
In March, Chisholm’s group reached an agreement to buy the Celtics in two stages, which was the stated goal of ownership led by the Grousbeck family. The deal valued the team at $6.1 billion in the first payment, which at the time was the most expensive control sale in sports team history. (Josh Harris’ 2023 buy of the Washington Commanders was the previous record, while Mat Ishbia’s $4 billion purchase of the Phoenix Suns in 2022 was tops in the NBA.) In June, Mark Walter reached an agreement to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers at a $10 billion valuation.
BDT & MSD Partners and JPMorgan Chase, who co-led the Celtics sale process, as well as the NBA, declined to comment on the timing.
The Grousbecks led a group that bought the NBA team in 2002 for $360 million. They announced that the franchise was for sale last July, less than two weeks after winning an NBA-record 18th championship. The group said estate planning in the Grousbeck family was the reason for the sale.
Chisholm, who is the co-founder and managing partner of private equity firm STG Partners, is the lead investor and will take over as NBA governor from Wyc Grousbeck after the 2027-28 season.
Aditya Mittal will be the second-largest stakeholder in the Celtics and potentially the alternate governor in the future. Mittal is the son of Lakshmi Mittal, who serves as executive chairman of $62 billion-in-revenue ArcelorMittal, the world’s second-largest steel and mining company after China’s state-owned Baowu.
Private equity giant Sixth Street will also have a major stake in the club. The firm already owns a stake in the San Antonio Spurs. The NBA’s private equity rules cap the stake that a single firm can own at 20% of the team.
Judge has played two games since returning from the IL and hasn't looked like himself at the plate. In those games, Judge went 1-for-6 with three strikeouts. His season batting average has dropped to .339 and the Yankees' offense has suffered for it. But there's nothing like a little home cooking to get you back on track.
Judge is slashing .333/.445/712 with a 1.157 OPS in 50 games this season to go along with 17 home runs and 40 RBI. While the Astros will have tough pitchers on the mound this weekend, the homestand could be the turnaround Judge needs.
There's also how Judge handles his throwing program. Will we see Judge in right field in this series? There's a distinct possibility it happens, which would also open up Giancarlo Stanton -- who was the Yankees' hottest hitter before Judge returned -- to return to the lineup.
Astros starters could be a problem
The Astros are having a great season even though many predicted they'd take a step back, and a big part of that is the starting rotation. That rotation could give the Yankees fits this weekend.
Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.47 ERA) will take the mound in the series opener and Framber Valdez (11-5, 2.83 ERA) follows on Saturday. While the Astros haven't announced a starter for Sunday's series finale, those two arms are enough to win a series.
Interestingly enough, Judge is 2-for-3 with a home run against Brown but is just 2-for-10 against Valdez. The Yankees who have the best track record against Valdez are Stanton (5-14, HR, 2B) and Jose Caballero (4-10, HR). Ryan McMahon (2-4) is the only other Yankee who has more than one hit against the Astros' southpaw.
Aug 3, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Can Luis Gil bounce back?
Gil had a tough season debut last weekend. He allowed five runs across 3.1 innings against the Marlins, but it was good to see the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year get back on the mound. His home/road splits from a year ago were very similar, so it's not necessarily an advantage to pitch at Yankee Stadium but like Judge, it could benefit the young rookie as he prepares for his biggest test since last October.
Gil does have a start against the Astros in his career. In one start, he allowed just one run across six innings. He's starting Saturday's game opposite Valdez, and it'll be one to watch, if for nothing else, to see if Gil can be a viable starter for this team down the stretch.
Who will be closing?
Devin Williams should not see a save opportunity anytime soon.
David Bednar's five-out save in Wednesday's series finale against the Rangers likely won him the job, but Aaron Boone could try and be cute in this series. He does have options, as Luke Weaver and Camilo Doval both have experience closing games, so how Boone deploys his relievers is something to watch; it'll give a good indication of how it will be in the final months.
But if Bednar is successful, it'll be his job to lose.
Win and stay in
The Yankees avoided the unthinkable, falling out of the playoff picture, with Wednesday's win.
If they were swept by the Rangers, the Yankees would have been 0.5 games behind Texas for the final wild card spot. Now that that was avoided, it's time for the Yankees to stack wins and prepare for October. While the Astros are a tough opponent, it's a good test to see if they can take the series against a playoff team.
If the Yankees can take care of business, they can root for some teams to give them some help in the standings. The Guardians and Rangers, two teams that trail the Yankees, take on the White Sox and Phillies, respectively. The two teams the Yankees are chasing, the Mariners and the Red Sox, take on the Rays and the Padres, respectively.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Anthony Volpe
Volpe has been sneaky good since the All-Star break. Over his last 15 games, Volpe is hitting .264 with five home runs and eight RBI.
Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?
Luis Gil
Gil needed his first start to get into the flow of the major leagues. Second time's the charm for the young righty.
Which Astros player will be a thorn in Yankees' side?
Jose Altuve
There's a reason he gets the Bronx cheers. In his career, Altuve is hitting .269 with 13 home runs against the Yankees.
Montas allowed seven runs on seven hits during his last start, leading manager Carlos Mendoza to be non-committal after that game about the right-hander's immediate future.
But Montas will pitch on Saturday against the Brewers in a role that's to-be-determined, with Mendoza explaining that it's possible New York will use an opener in front of him.
If Montas keeps struggling, though, something is going to have to give soon.
Montas has a 6.68 ERA (5.07 FIP) and 1.54 WHIP in 33.2 innings pitched over seven starts, has allowed a whopping 11.2 hits per nine, and is averaging nearly two home runs allowed per nine.
Mullins has mostly struggled against left-handers during his career, but has excelled against them this season -- slashing .291/.382/.465 in 103 plate appearances.
Despite that, it was Tyrone Taylor who was in the lineup on Tuesday night against Guardians left-hander Logan Allen.
"Cedric will play against lefties, too," Mendoza said before Tuesday's game. "I just thought today was, looking what's ahead and where we're at, I thought it was a good day for TT. But Cedric, he's not going to be in a strict platoon here where if we're facing a lefty he's not going to play; he will play."
Taylor has struggled badly at the plate this season, with a .546 OPS and 57 OPS+.
Senga was strong in his first start after coming back from a hamstring injury, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings against the Royals on July 11.
Since then, things have not gone well.
New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park / Bob Kupbens - Imagn Images
Over his last three starts, Senga has allowed 11 runs on 13 hits in 12.0 innings while walking 11 and serving up four home runs. His ERA over that span is 8.25.
In addition to the control problems and run-prevention issues is the fact that Senga has been averaging 4.0 innings per start since returning -- something that is a serious problem when you factor in that every other Mets starter except David Peterson has also been failing to provide length.
Senga gets the ball on Friday night for the series-opener.
The Brewers are banged up, but on fire
The Brewers are without one of their best hitters (Jackson Chourio), their designated hitter (Rhys Hoskins), and their young ace (Jacob Misiorowski), but they're continuing to roll over every team in their way.
Entering play on Wednesday, the Brewers were riding a five-game winning streak, had an 8-2 record of their last 10 games, and has the best record in baseball at 69-44.
Milwaukee's run differential of +126 is the best in baseball, and their 565 runs scored rank fourth.
Over their last 24 games, the Brewers are a ridiculous 20-4.
Brandon Woodruff has been dominant
Since returning from shoulder surgery, Woodruff has been lights out.
In 28.1 innings over five starts, he has a 2.22 ERA and 0.63 WHIP.
Woodruff is striking out a career-best 11.8 batters per nine and walking a career-low 1.3 batters per nine.
If there's one knock on him, it's that he's been susceptible to the home run ball, allowing five dingers.
Woodruff gets the start on Friday.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Francisco Alvarez
Alvarez has been a different hitter since returning from Triple-A Syracuse.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Sean Manaea
Manaea hit a wall in the sixth inning of his most recent start, but has been largely dominant in his five appearances this season.
Which Brewers player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Sal Frelick
Frelick is having the best offensive season of his young career, entering play Wednesday with an OPS+ of 116.
The new CBA will bring numerous changes to the way the NHL currently operates. It will change salary structures, put an end to the playoffs' salary loophole, allow players more freedom about the way they dress, and the list goes on and on, but one crucial clause hasn’t received much coverage yet.
In Thursday’s edition of La Presse, Simon-Olivier Lorange reports that from the 2027 draft, teams will have four years to sign the 18-year-old players they draft. These days, they have four years to sign players who are plying their trade in the NCAA, but only two years for players who are competing in the CHL. If a team drafts an overeager player (a player who’s in his second year of eligibility and is 19), like the Montreal Canadiens have done a few times of late (like Florian Xhekaj, for instance), they’ll have three years to put pen to paper with them.
Why could that mean more local players for the Canadiens? This will simply give the team more time to evaluate CHL draftees before deciding on those players. No matter how thorough a team is with their scouting, 18-year-old players are raw products. They have so much left to learn and so much more development to come. Projecting them in the future is a tall order, and having just two years to evaluate them isn’t much.
The two-year deadline on signing CHL products before losing their rights left very little room for late bloomers. While generational talents can be ready to jump right into the NHL action after being drafted, others need more time to come into their own. There’s no proof that this state of affairs prevented the Canadiens and other teams from drafting more CHLers, but there is no doubt this new development will make life a bit easier on teams.
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