Red Wings' Cam Talbot Entering Final Season Of Two-Year Contract
The Detroit Red Wings have utilized multiple goaltenders over the last several years, some of whom were acquired via trade and others through free agency.
Cam Talbot, who is coming off his first campaign played in Detroit, is set to enter the final season of his two-year contract he affixed his signature last July.
He won 21 games for Detroit in 2024-25 as part of a crowded crease that also included now-former Red Wings goalies Alex Lyon, Ville Husso, and Petr Mrazek.
Detroit is now set to enter the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season with the tandem of Talbot and John Gibson, who was recently acquired via trade with the Anaheim Ducks (sending Mrazek to Anaheim in return).
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Lyon signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Sabres, while the Red Wings traded Husso to Anaheim last season.
Known for his steady and calming presence in the dressing room, Talbot has been a positive addition for the Red Wings and, during several occasions, was the reason they ultimately earned two points on a given night last season.
CAM TALBOT WITH A GAME SAVING STOP IN THE FINAL SECONDS 😱 pic.twitter.com/Wm4HiRpvmR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 30, 2025
His first start with Detroit, a 42-save shutout performance against the Nashville Predators on October 12, was a strong way to begin his tenure in the Winged Wheel.
At 38 years of age, Talbot isn't getting any younger. The upcoming season could, in all likelihood, be his last with Detroit and potentially even his last in the NHL, especially if one or more of their goaltending prospects waiting in the wings takes the next step in their respective development.
The Red Wings are understandably excited about the potential of prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa, whom they selected with the 15th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
What's more, it won't be long before Trey Augustine (selected 41st overall in 2023) makes his presence felt after he concludes what will be his junior year with the Michigan State Spartans. Detroit also recently signed 23 year-old Czechia goaltender Michal Postava to a two-year contract.
Talbot, who has won 266 games during his NHL career, will hope to form a solid partnership with his new teammate Gibson, one that fans are hoping will ultimately yield a return trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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‘We don’t know the rules’ — Big 12 coaches still wrestling with new world order after player payment changes
Coaches are complaining about other schools making contract offers despite a new regulatory body and college football’s new compensation cap. It's still early July, and the finger pointing has already begun.
Grand Canyon University’s move to the Mountain West has been accelerated. Lopes to compete this fall
Grand Canyon will be one of 14 schools competing in the conference next season.
UCF’s Scott Frost tries to skip talk of failed Nebraska tenure, but falls a bit short
Frost was fired three games into his fifth season in Lincoln with a 16-31 record.
Wizards reportedly trading Kelly Olynyk to Spurs for Branham, Wesley, second-round pick
San Antonio starts Victor Wembanyama at center, but after the 21-year-old superstar, the talent level dropped off sharply last season.
No longer. Days after landing Luke Kornet, the Spurs have added a stretch five in Kelly Olynyk in a trade with the Wizards, sending Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and a 2026 second-round pick to Washington, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by multiple other reports.
Olynyk (and Kornet) can play with Wembanyama in certain lineups and also hold down the fort when Wembanyama is on the bench. Olynyk, 34, remains a quality stretch big who averaged 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds a game last season, splitting time between Toronto and New Orleans, although he played in just 44 games due to injury. Most importantly, he shot 41.8% from 3 and was a better defender for the Pelicans than his reputation would suggest. (Olynyk was traded two days ago from the Pelicans to the Wizards as part of the three-team Jordan Poole trade.)
The Wizards get two former first-round picks at guard in Branham and Wesley who did not develop, or at least as fast as hoped, and with Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper drafted in front of them, there was not going to be a lot of daylight for them to grow in San Antonio. Things may not be a whole lot better in Washington — another team stacked with guards, including veterans like Marcus Smart and CJ McCollum — but it is a fresh start. Additionally, the Wizards save approximately $5 million (a figure that could increase depending on exactly how the trade is structured).
The Spurs are now about $12.5 million below the luxury tax line with at least two roster spots still to fill, something they can easily do while staying out of the tax. The Wizards are running into the opposite roster problem, they now have 15 guaranteed contracts on the books and that's not counting Justin Champagnie or Anthony Gill, whom are expected to re-sign with the team. That could be a bad sign for Branham and Wesley.
New Penguins Defenseman Is Sneaky Good Addition
The Pittsburgh Penguins have brought in several new players this off-season. One of them is Connor Clifton, as the Penguins acquired him and the 39th pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau.
Clifton has the potential to be a very solid addition to the Penguins' defensive group. When playing at his best, the 30-year-old blueliner is a steady shutdown defenseman, which is something Pittsburgh needs right now.
When looking at the Penguins' current roster, Clifton should have himself a spot on their bottom pairing. Furthermore, due to his defense-first style of play, he is also a clear candidate to play on the Penguins' penalty kill.
During this past season with the Sabres, Clifton posted one goal, 16 points, and a notable 208 hits. It was the third year in a row where Clifton had at least 200 hits, so he undoubtedly makes an impact with his immensely physical style of play. The Penguins' blueline could use more bite, and now it is getting just that with the hard-hitting Clifton.
Clifton also demonstrated during his time with the Boston Bruins that he has the potential to provide some offense from the point, too. During the 2022-23 season, he recorded five goals, 18 assists, 23 points, and a plus-20 rating. While the Penguins did not necessarily bring him in for his offense, he could help them in that area if he taps into his 2022-23 form.
Ultimately, while this was a smaller move by the Penguins, there is a lot to like about this Clifton addition. He should add some much-needed stability to the Penguins' blueline, and it also does not hurt that he is a veteran who can help mentor the team's younger players. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he makes with Pittsburgh in 2025-26 from here.
Penguins' 2025 First Round Pick Signs Entry-Level ContractWith three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins were aiming to maximize the addition of talent in their system.
Photo Credit: © Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Yankees move All-Star infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third base back to second
NEW YORK — All-Star infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is moving back to second base with the New York Yankees in place of DJ LeMahieu, who is heading to the bench.
New York also placed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Monday, with a stress fracture in his left leg. Clayton Beeter was recalled from Triple-A, and fellow right-hander Cam Schlittler will be called up Wednesday night to start against Seattle in his major league debut.
Chisholm began the season at second, his most natural position after breaking into the big leagues there with Miami five years ago. But he played third for the Yankees last year and had been starting there again since returning in early June from a right oblique strain - after New York third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera broke his left ankle May 12.
LeMahieu came off the injured list the following day and, although he has plenty of experience at both spots, has made all 35 of his starts this year at second base.
LeMahieu won three Gold Gloves at second with Colorado from 2014-18 - and another one in a utility role with the Yankees in 2022. But he turns 37 on Sunday and his range has been diminished by a series of toe, foot and hip injuries.
Chisholm, meanwhile, has made some wild throws from third lately while hampered by a sore shoulder, and New York has been shaky overall on defense at times.
“Obviously, the last week was a little bit of a struggle for him over at third. I think part of that is just being a little banged up and not being able to do some of his prep work that allows him to stay on top of things at third,” manager Aaron Boone said. "But I think just letting his athleticism go in the middle of the diamond is something that serves him and us well.”
Chisholm began the day batting .245 with 15 homers, 38 RBIs and an .841 OPS. He was selected to the AL All-Star team Sunday, when he sat out a 6-4 win over the New York Mets that snapped the Yankees' second six-game losing streak since mid-June.
He was back at second base for Tuesday night's series opener against the Mariners, with Oswald Peraza starting at third and batting ninth.
"Just with what we’ve gone through here the last week, and again, Jazz not being able to lean into some of the throwing stuff that he would normally do, just felt like it made sense to do this right now,” Boone said. “He’s good with it. ... He’s ready to go do his thing there.”
The manager called it a “fluid” situation and was asked what the plan is at third base going forward.
“It’s Peraza tonight - and we’ll see,” he said.
The 25-year-old Peraza can play second, third and shortstop - but he was batting only .154 with three homers, 13 RBIs and a .487 OPS.
"I think wherever you put him on the diamond, the defense has been phenomenal. He’s a really talented defender," Boone said. "I still think there’s that upside and talent in there offensively, too. I mean, he’s got pop, he’s got athleticism, he can drive the ball the other way with authority. But it has been a struggle offensively when he’s gotten the reps.”
LeMahieu was hitting .266 with two homers, 12 RBIs and a .674 OPS. The three-time All-Star and two-time batting champion was hitting .310 in his last 31 games since June 1.
Boone said the Yankees have no plans to play LeMahieu at third at the moment because “physically it’s a challenge for him right now.”
He'll have some sort of role as a right-handed bat off the bench, and Boone was asked how LeMahieu took the news.
“Not great, necessarily. But that’s kind of the situation we’re in right now,” the manager said.
Leiter is 4-6 with a 4.46 ERA and two saves in 41 appearances covering 34 1/3 innings. He said he got injured covering first base on June 24 in Cincinnati but had been pitching through the issue until it really became a problem this past weekend.
Tests revealed the stress fracture, and there was no timetable yet for the right-hander's return.
Luis Gil is expected to throw about 50 pitches and three innings during his first minor league rehab start Sunday. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year has been sidelined since spring training by a right lat strain.
Newest Laker Deandre Ayton is ready to prove the doubters wrong
Deandre Ayton stood with his hands in his pockets, his all-black attire — from the suit to tie, shirt and shoes — a measured look for the newest member of the Lakers. His eyes were mostly down as he answered questions about how he’ll fit with the team and how he’s driven to prove his naysayers wrong.
In many ways, Ayton fell to the Lakers after he was bought out of his contract from the Portland Trail Blazers, opening the door for him to agree to a two-year, $16.6-million deal.
The two seasons he spent with the Trail Blazers were not as good as the time he was in Phoenix. His production dropped. The number of games he played dropped.
That led to the narrative that Ayton hasn’t lived up to his potential. That he played consistently enough at a high level. That he doesn’t give his best effort all the time.
When Ayton was introduced to the media Tuesday, he didn’t shy away from the criticism.
He’s a 7-foot center who the Lakers need to be at his best at all times this season.
Read more:Hernández: Can LeBron James help maddening Deandre Ayton transform into a reliable center?
“Most definitely. It fuels me,” Ayton said about criticism. “It fuels me up completely. And it’s a different type of drive that I’ve been wanting to express for a long time. I think this is the perfect timing, here in the purple and gold. And it’s a platform that I cannot run from.
“I can show what I really am and just be around some greats to really emphasize that for me as well. It is a lot of fuel in me to prove to the whole world.”
Ayton played only 40 games last season for the Trail Blazers, missing a lot of those because of a calf injury. He averaged 14.4 points per game. During the 2023-24 season with Portland, he averaged 16.7 points over 55 games.
Both of those seasons were short of what Ayton did while with the Suns in 2022-23, when he averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds.
Ayon was asked if the questions were fair about his motor.
“I feel like at the end of the day, I’m on the court and I’m supposed to perform,” he said. “It’s just different routes with organizations, whether you want to win or not. I just took my route where I want to win. When it comes to wins, you play hard when you know everybody’s goal is to win. You do everything you’re supposed to do or can do to win. …
Read more:Lakers agree to terms to bring back Jaxson Hayes
“I’ve just been trying to put in as much work as I possibly can. When I’m on the floor, I want to really just show the world and prove to everybody that I am a winner. Any position I’m in, I just want to really win and sacrifice the way I did coming into this league.”
Ayton will have Luka Doncic and LeBron James to help push him along and hopefully tap more out of his potential.
Doncic averaged 8.1 assists per game last season and James averaged 7.8 assists.
“They both average about nine assists over their career span, and just the type of players they create with their teammates,” Ayton said. “They turn them into superstars, they make them bigger than their roles, they make them very important on the floor. Just seeing that and finally getting the chance to go in and experience that would be big for me. Just getting me back to my full form of how I used to play, you know, coming up and being a part of the [NBA] Finals. It’s those playmakers I’m used to having around me that’s leading to wins.”
The Lakers also introduced Jake LaRavia to the media. He played a season with the Sacramento Kings, averaging 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He shot 47.5% from the field and 42.3% from three-point range.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Recapping The Vancouver Canucks’ Contract Signings One Week After 2025 Free Agency Opened
It has been one week since the 2025 free agency period opened, and the Vancouver Canucks made a crop of signings, including netting one of the biggest available free agents of this year’s class. Let’s take a look at what the Canucks have done so far during free agency.
The Day Before July 1 — 10:00am PT
The Canucks announced four different signings before free agency had even started. On June 30, they re-signed key members of the Abbotsford Canucks’ 2025 Calder Cup-winning season and extended qualifying offers to two others. Max Sasson and Guillaume Brisebois each inked one-year contract extensions at $775K, while Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Räty signed two-year deals. Jett Woo and Nikita Tolopilo were the lone players who were given qualifying offers (with both signing their respective ones today), with the Canucks choosing not to qualify Christian Felton, Ty Glover, Cole McWard, and Tristen Nielsen.
Contract Extensions Kick Off Free Agency — 7:00am PT
Vancouver kicked off the opening day of free agency by announcing two big extensions. While reports had broken the week prior, the Canucks made Conor Garland’s contract extension official. The forward, whose deal was set to expire in 2026, inked a six-year, $36M contract with Vancouver that will keep him in the organization until 2032.
Another Canuck that got a contract extension was Thatcher Demko, who was also entering the final year of his contract in the 2025–26 season. However, Vancouver saved themselves the worries of last-minute negotiating (for Demko, at least), signing the goaltender to a three-year extension worth $8.5M per year.
The First Player Leaves — 9:00am PT
A little after the 2025 free agency period opened, the first Canuck parted ways with the team. Noah Juulsen signed a one-year, $900K contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. Coincidentally, this is also the team that former Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet was recently named head coach of.
Return Of The Brock — 9:30am PT
Many weren’t sure what Vancouver was going to do in free agency. One thing they were sure of, however, is that decade-long Canuck Brock Boeser would not be returning to the team. In the rumour mill, Boeser’s name had been paired with teams such as the Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings, and even the Edmonton Oilers. But, in a stunning turn of events, news broke that one of the premier free agents in the 2025 free agency class — Boeser — had re-signed with Vancouver. His seven-year, $7.25M contract will take him to the end of the 2031–32 season. Most importantly, however, it will keep a long-tenured and well-loved member of the franchise in a time when stability is needed most.
Goodbye Abbotsford, Hello Home Province — 10:00am PT
With fans still reeling from the sudden news that Boeser would remain a Canuck, Abbotsford was hit with some bittersweet news. Sammy Blais, who had developed into a fan-favourite especially during the team’s Calder Cup run, signed a one-year deal with his home province team, the Montréal Canadiens.
Canucks Make Three Depth Signings — 2:00pm PT
After the departures of Juulsen and Blais, Vancouver decided to make some depth additions to their organization by making three signings. They signed former St. Louis Blues forward MacKenzie MacEachern to a two-year, two-way contract worth $775K per year. As well, they brought back a familiar face in Joseph LaBate, who had been picked 101st overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by Vancouver. Their final signing of the day was Jimmy Schuldt, a defender, who earned himself a two-year, $775K AAV contract with the Canucks.
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A Depth Player Departs — 4:00pm PT
The Canucks lost a depth player in free agency after Phil Di Giuseppe, who had been with the organization since 2021, signed a contract with the Jets. His new deal with the Jets lasts one year and pays $775K. Di Giuseppe’s departure was the last bit of Canucks-related free agency news to break on July 1.
Day 2 Defensive Depth Signing — 11:30am PT
Vancouver made one signing the day after free agency’s opening day. They agreed to a one-year, $775K contract with former Pittsburgh Penguins and Blues defender Pierre-Olivier Joseph. So far, Joseph has been the last signing made by the Canucks in the 2025 off-season.
See You, Suter — 2:00pm PT
On the same day that they signed Joseph, Vancouver said goodbye to one of their biggest breakout players in the 2024–25 season — Pius Suter. The center, who proved himself to be a capable middle-six center in the NHL, signed a two-year, $4.125M AAV deal with the Blues.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
Mets' Sean Manaea strikes out five with Triple-A Syracuse in final rehab start
Mets southpaw Sean Manaea completed what should be his final rehab start on Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse.
While it wasn't his most efficient outing, the left-hander struck out five batters across 3.2 innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and one walk to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Manaea's night started off great, striking out two in a 1-2-3 first inning. But he got into trouble in the second, allowing a one-out walk before Rafael Lantigua singled to put runners on the corners. Rodolfo Castro then lofted a 78 mph sweeper that hung over the middle of the plate, over the left field wall to put the IronPigs up 3-1.
Mets manager Carlos Mendozabroke down the plan for Manaea prior to Tuesday's series opener against the Orioles, and said Manaea was slated to throw 70-75 pitches -- he threw 73 pitches -- and if the starter recovers well, he'll be activated for Sunday's series finale. It's unclear whether Manaea will start Sunday's game, but he and Clay Holmes will both pitch in the final game before the All-Star break.
If Tuesday was indeed Manaea's final rehab start, the southpaw completed six appearances (five starts). His last start saw Manaea allow two runs in three innings with Double-A Binghamton. His last, and only other start, with Syracuse came on June 19 when he allowed just one run across 5.1 innings while striking out seven. His best start in the minors this season.
Sean Manaea's final line in his rehab outing for Triple-A Syracuse tonight:
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) July 8, 2025
3.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (73 pitches) pic.twitter.com/zQ7kGmQnUi
2 Former Canadiens Who Are Still Free Agents
The NHL saw several unrestricted free agents (UFAs) sign their new contracts during the first few days of July, which was expected. With this, the majority of this year's notable UFAs are off the board.
While the free-agent market is noticeably smaller than it was when it opened on July 1, there are still some intriguing names left for the taking. Two are former Montreal Canadiens players, so let's take a look at them now.
Max Pacioretty
Former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty is one of the more notable UFAs still available. The 36-year-old winger posted five goals, 13 points, and a minus-2 rating in 37 regular-season games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024-25. While he dealt with injury trouble during the regular-season, he was a big bright spot for Toronto during the playoffs. In 11 post-season games, he recorded three goals, eight points, and a plus-1 rating. This included three consecutive two-point games from May 5 to May 9.
Ultimately, Pacioretty showed during the playoffs that he can still be a solid contributor at the NHL level. Due to this, it would not be particularly surprising if the Maple Leafs looked to bring him back on a cheap one-year deal. If not Toronto, the veteran forward could still generate interest from a team looking for more experience and forward depth if he chooses to continue his career.
Pacioretty was selected by the Canadiens with the 22nd overall pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. In 626 games over 10 seasons in Montreal, he recorded 226 goals, 448 points, 800 hits, and a plus-36 rating.
Jon Merrill
Former Canadiens defenseman Jon Merrill has also not been signed yet and remains a UFA. The 33-year-old blueliner just completed his fourth season with the Minnesota Wild in 2024-25, posting two goals, four assists, 85 blocks, and a minus-8 rating in 70 games.
While Merrill is not the flashiest of players, there could be a team out there willing to sign him to an affordable short-term deal. He is a serviceable bottom-pairing defensive defenseman with plenty of experience, and teams are often on the hunt for more defensive depth.
In 13 regular-season games with the Canadiens during the 2020-21 season, Merrill recorded zero points, 10 hits, and 12 blocks. He also appeared in 13 playoff games for the Habs in 2021, posting zero points and a minus-4 rating.
Interesting News About The Canadiens’ First Pick At The Last DraftThe Montreal Canadiens didn’t have a first-round pick at the
last draft, thanks to the Noah Dobson trade, but their first pick in the second
round was a first-round pick in their book. Nick Bobrov and Martin Lapointe
seemed rather excited about Alexander Zharovsky, and they aren’t the only ones.
Photo Credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Giants, Athletics make MLB history with thrilling inside-the-park home runs
Giants, Athletics make MLB history with thrilling inside-the-park home runs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants and the Athletics teamed up to make MLB history in their respective wins on Monday night.
Early in the evening, Lawrence Butler led off the Athletics’ eventual 10-1 over the Atlanta Braves with an inside-the-park homer.
A few hours later, Patrick Bailey delivered a wild walk-off inside-the-park homer to lift the Giants to a 4-3 win over the Phillies.
Those two feats had never been accomplished on the same day.
Butler also is the first A’s player with a multi-homer game in which he hit both an inside-the-park and a fence-clearing home run since Billy Williams on Aug. 23, 1975.
As for Bailey, it was the first inside-the-park walk-off homer hit in MLB since Cleveland’s Tyler Naquin on Aug. 19, 2016, against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Bailey is the first Giants catcher with an inside-the-park home run since Bob Brenly on Aug. 29, 1984, against the Montreal Expos.
The Giants and Athletics have been tied at the hip for decades, so it’s fitting that they combined to make history on Monday night.
USC athletics eliminates a dozen jobs as it manages new revenue sharing expenses
USC athletics is holding off on cutting any sports and instead has eliminated a dozen jobs as it adapts to new revenue sharing with athletes.
Lawrence Butler makes history as Athletics crush five homers in rout of Braves
Lawrence Butler makes history as Athletics crush five homers in rout of Braves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
What almost began as a leadoff home run turned into… a leadoff home run.
Lawrence Butler cracked the first pitch of the game to deep centerfield and while it missed being a traditional home run by mere feet, it did turn into an electric inside-the-park homer for the 24-year-old.
“To be honest, when I hit it I didn’t think I got it that good,” Butler told Jenny Cavnar and Dallas Braden on “A’s Cast” following the game. “But, I kind of looked at the right fielder and he was looking at the center fielder like he didn’t know where the ball was and I looked at the center fielder and he didn’t even move so I kind of was like ‘Maybe it’s a home run.’ And then I saw the ball hit the ground and bounce off and I was like ‘I gotta score.
“It was a crazy play, especially to start it off for the boys but hey we’ll take an inside-the-park any day. Home run. It’s the same in the books.”
But Butler wasn’t done. In the third inning, the man who reps “Zone 4” in his hometown of Atlanta crushed another ball against his hometown Braves – this time over the fence for his second home run of the game.
It was Butler’s first multi-home run game of the season, and it became the first time an Athletics player hit two home runs — with one of them being an inside-the-park homer — since Billy Williams did it in 1973.
“For Law, he’s the spark plug, really,” manager Mark Kotsay told reporters after the game. “He set the tone tonight with the first at-bat, got the energy going, excitement about that play. It’s always great to witness an inside-the-park home run. You saw him hit another gear, I think, when he saw the ball going towards right field. He had a great night, great at-bats.”
In all, the A’s cranked out five home runs with three coming in the first inning.
Brent Rooker and Max Muncy each added two-run homers to give the A’s a five-run lead after the first frame and they never looked back.
“It was a good game for the whole team, offensively and defensively,” Muncy told Chris Townsend and Steve Sax on “A’s Cast.” “Pitching was great, Springs and all the other guys. I think it was just a great all-around win.”
While that first inning had plenty of thrills for the A’s, there was a scary moment when Jacob Wilson was hit by a 97-mile-per-hour fastball from Braves rookie Didier Fuentes in his left hand. Luckily for the rookie, it was just diagnosed as a contusion.
“We did the X-rays,” Kotsay told reporters. “X-rays were negative which is a great sign. He did get squared up pretty good so he’ll probably most likely go day-to-day and well just evaluate him tomorrow.”
In the second inning, rookie Nick Kurtz decided he wanted to get in on the action, as well, and delivered his first-career grand slam — it was his 14th home run of the season and gave him a tie for most by a rookie this season with Agustin Ramirez of the Miami Marlins.
After three innings, the A’s lead was 10-0 and it would be more than enough for starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs, who went six strong innings while giving up six hits and one earned run.
Springs’ outing was his fourth straight outing of allowing two runs or fewer while going five or more innings. He has a 1.90 ERA over that span and boasts a 2-1 record for the team.
Mitch Spence will take the mound for the A’s on Wednesday when they square off with the Braves in the second game of the three-game set.