Texas State is joining the Pac-12, giving the rebuilding conference the eighth football-playing school it needed to maintain its status as an FBS conference.
Blackhawks Legend Brent Seabrook Joins Flames Player Development Staff
Chicago Blackhawks legend Brent Seabrook, who was an elite defenseman on multiple championship-winning teams, has been working in hockey since his retirement as a player.
Seabrook worked with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL initially as an interim assistant coach. He then became a player development coach. In 2024, Seabrook joined Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence Management Group with the under-20 program.
On Monday, his next endeavor was announced. Seabrook will be a member of the Player Development Staff for the Calgary Flames.
Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) on XBrent Seabrook has been added to the #Flames Player Development staff!
📄: https://t.co/7lvckJrc66This is a great hire for the Flames. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and Olympic Gold Medalist is always someone you want to have around your young players. Seabrook will help with player development on the NHL Flames and AHL Wranglers.
“We are pleased to welcome Brent Seabrook to our development team,” Flames GM Craig Conroy said. “Our young players will benefit from his years of experience in the NHL and his championship pedigree.”
Seabrook’s past experiences as a player, coach, and manager across many levels make him a worthy candidate with the right pedigree.
“I am really looking forward to getting started with the group of young, talented players in the Flames organization,” said Brent Seabrook. “The future of the organization is very bright and I am thankful to the Calgary Flames for allowing me to be a part it.”
You never know if this is all his way of moving up the ladder to become an NHL executive. He is taking all of the proper steps to go down that road if he pleases. The knowledge he brings to the table, combined with his hard work, will help him continue to excel.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
‘He was taken aback’: Lyon lifts lid on Aussie Test handover as emotional letter revealed
Nathan Lyon is adamant he’s not retiring “anytime soon” despite handing over the significant duty of leading the team song after victories to Test keeper Alex Carey.
Ex-Flyers Defenseman Ivan Provorov Signs Absurd Contract Ahead of NHL Free Agency
The Philadelphia Flyers have won the Ivan Provorov trade in more ways than one.
On Monday, multiple reports indicated that the Flyers' former No. 1 defenseman signed an eye-watering seven-year contract extension worth $8.5 million annually, all while playing second fiddle to Norris Trophy finalist Zach Werenski.
Provorov, 28, is now signed through his age 35 season, earning a big raise on the previous six-year, $40.5 million ($6.75 million AAV) pact he signed with the Flyers on Sept. 12, 2019.
On his new contract, Provorov would have been the second-highest-paid Flyer, trailing Travis Konecny by only $250k.
On defense, the former No. 7 overall pick would be leading Travis Sanheim, and the injured Ryan Ellis, by a healthy $1.75 million.
Flyers Reportedly Rejected Islanders Trade to Secure Porter MartoneThe Philadelphia Flyers were open to lots of things ahead of the NHL Draft, but, ultimately, a bold New York Islanders trade offer wasn't enough to pull them away from selecting Porter Martone with the sixth overall pick.
Many fans took to social media to immediately lament the signing as a drastic overpayment, and given that Provorov is effectively a second-pairing defender, there is some truth to that.
Something Provorov and his agent are banking on, and something the Flyers are planning their own moves around, is the ever-rising salary cap, which is projected to reach $114 million just two years from now.
It's important for players and teams to keep in mind, however, that earning bigger, larger contracts partially defeat the purpose of the rising cap.
To keep up with these increasing demands, the Flyers, the rest of the NHL teams, and the league itself will have to generate more revenue, which comes from games. And fans are already unhappy with the rampant expansion rumors and the rumored increase from 82 regular season games to 84.
The new Provorov contract is absurd and could be a concerning sign of things to come down the road.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers will gladly take Oliver Bonk, Helge Grans, and the other assets they ultimately received in that Provorov trade, especially at that price.
Offense continues to scuffle as Giants lose another game, another infielder
Offense continues to scuffle as Giants lose another game, another infielder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
PHOENIX — The planned reset for Tyler Fitzgerald lasted just a week, and it wasn’t exactly stress-free. A few days after he returned to Triple-A Sacramento, Fitzgerald got drilled on the left hand, leaving him with an ugly bruise, but no fracture. Fitzgerald considered himself lucky, and on Monday, he found himself back in the big league lineup after Casey Schmitt went on the IL with a more troubling bone bruise.
On his first night back, the Opening Day second baseman hit a pair of doubles, including one that tied the game in the top of the seventh. It was a needed night for a young player who was looking for ways to get his confidence back.
“It felt good to hit the ball hard again,” Fitzgerald said. “I haven’t done that in a while.”
That was the silver lining for the Giants. The rest of this night fit in with the week that Fitzgerald missed, and really, with the last month-plus of baseball.
The Giants lost 4-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, falling to 1-6 in this two-week stretch that’s supposed to be the easiest on their schedule. They have scored just seven runs in four games on this road trip, but this goes much deeper.
Over the last 40 games, the lineup has scored more than four runs just 11 times. In nearly half of those games (16), they have scored two runs or fewer.
The frustration is boiling over, and it didn’t help that a potential game-tying rally Monday was possibly harmed by fan interference. A Diamondbacks fan reached over the wall to grab Christian Koss’ double in the eighth, and when a lengthy review left Koss at second, Rafael Devers and Heliot Ramos struck out. The Ramos strikeout — on a ball that was off the plate — set manager Bob Melvin off. He was ejected before the bottom of the ninth.
“Heliot gets the bat taken out of his hands like that for the second time in the game,” Melvin said. “[The catcher] is literally set up underneath his armpit and the ball is off the plate, outside. That’s a tough one. But look, we’re in this position because we’re not scoring enough runs and doing much offensively, so it gets frustrating.”
There are a lot of reasons to be frustrated right now, including the fact that the Giants in many ways wasted one of the best months of Logan Webb’s career. He threw 40 1/3 innings in June and allowed just 10 runs, but the team went 3-3. Webb gave up three runs Monday on a lot of soft contact, but the Giants didn’t give him much support.
A few weeks ago, Webb was asked about the offense’s struggles and pointed out that he’s seen much tougher times. This latest skid, though, is starting to climb the rankings.
“It’s pretty tough,” Webb said. “It’s tough right now, but if we want to go to the places that we want to go to, we have to get through it. We’ve just got to kind of dig deep and show up tomorrow. That’s the only thing we can do.”
The latest loss took place in front of just about the entire front office, but if any changes are coming, they haven’t been telegraphed. Buster Posey has shown a lot of patience this year, and he is said to be exhibiting it now, as well. He had a long talk with hitting coach Pat Burrell before batting practice on Monday, and then he leaned on the rail and watched a team that continues to put the work in every afternoon, but has little to show for it.
Posey already made his big move, acquiring Rafael Devers, but the slugger has an OPS under .700 as a Giant and struck out four times on Monday. The last one came with the tying run on second after the Koss fly ball.
The Giants felt that the ball would have been a double had it not been touched, but it still stung, and not just in the moment. Koss wasn’t going to be able to stretch it even if the ball bounced off the wall, as he had pulled his hamstring earlier in the game. He won’t play Tuesday and there’s a chance he hits the IL.
Already without Matt Chapman, the Giants have lost fill-ins Schmitt and Koss over the past week. It’s bad luck, but all they had to do was look across the field to know that they’ve actually done pretty well in the health department this year. The Diamondbacks lost Corbin Burnes to Tommy John surgery and will play this series without star outfielder Corbin Carroll and catcher Gabriel Moreno. First baseman Josh Naylor was also out of the lineup Monday.
“It happens. It sucks that it happens, but look around baseball and how many guys are going out, especially this part of the year,” Webb said of the latest injury at third base. “That’s why they call it the dog days of summer. It’s tough, but it’s next man up and find a way.”
Sixers agree to sign forward Trendon Watford on Night 1 of free agency
Sixers agree to sign forward Trendon Watford on Night 1 of free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers have a deal with Trendon Watford on Night 1 of free agency.
The team has agreed to sign the 6-foot-8 forward to a two-year, $5.3 million contract, a source confirmed Monday night to NBC Sports Philadelphia. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news.
Watford played two seasons for the Trail Blazers and two for the Nets after going undrafted in 2021. The 24-year-old averaged 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season. He had a down year from three-point range, shooting 33 percent beyond the arc on 2.0 attempts per game.
Watford’s abilities as a big ball handler and passer are positives. He’s a generally versatile player with size and length (wingspan just over 7-2) that it appears could be useful for the Sixers. The team was often smaller than its opponents at most positions last year and just drafted guard VJ Edgecombe at No. 3 overall.
According to Cleaning the Glass, Watford played 11 percent of his minutes at small forward, 73 percent at power forward and 16 percent at center in the 2024-25 season.
Star Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey happens to already be friends with Watford. After his 33-point, 12-assist performance in the Sixers’ Christmas win last season over the Celtics, Maxey shared that Watford motivated him.
“Watford’s always messing with me in Brooklyn like, ‘Yeah, you’ve played (well), done all these nice things in the playoffs and in the Garden, but can you play (well) on Christmas when you want to be with your family?’ He calls me all the time messing with me,” Maxey said.
Ottawa Senators Sign Goaltender Leevi Meriläinen To New One-Way Contract
The Ottawa Senators have signed goaltender Leevi Meriläinen to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.05 million.
Meriläinen, 22, split the 2024–25 season between Ottawa and their AHL affiliate in Belleville. In 37 games with Belleville, he posted an 18-12-7 record along with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
He also saw action in 12 games for the Senators, putting up even better numbers than his AHL performance. It was especially impressive for such a young goaltender with limited NHL experience. The Oulu, Finland native went 8-3-1 with a 1.99 GAA, a .925 save percentage, and three shutouts. He even had a fourth shutout in the bag through regulation, but lost it in overtime against Washington.
To recap, that makes one-third of Merilainen's 12 games where the opponent couldn't score on him in regulation. His ability to hold the fort during such a bad run of injuries to the goalies ahead of him on the depth chart was a big reason Ottawa managed to clinch its first playoff spot in eight years.
Now that the Senators have three goaltenders—Meriläinen, Mads Søgaard, and Linus Ullmark—all on one-way contracts, this likely signals the end of Anton Forsberg’s time here after four and a half years with the club. Forsberg is officially a UFA as of tomorrow.
The question now becomes: Who will back up Ullmark this season? Will Meriläinen continue his rise and earn the job? Could Søgaard stay healthy, have a big camp and get the nod? Or might the club look to add a more experienced veteran via free agency or trade this summer, someone who's been around the block a little more?
It should be noted that both goalies spent time on the injury list last season. In Ottawa, who didn't? But Sogaard missed the most action, playing only 10 games all season, two of them in the NHL.
Will The Ottawa Senators Go Shopping To Fill Their Most Underrated Roster Spot?One of the most underrated positions for the Ottawa Senators this fall will be the backup goalie role.
Meriläinen was drafted 71st overall by the Senators in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He was the third-rounder they got in the Dylan DeMelo trade, so there's a chance he can still salvage what was then a pretty underwhelming return for what could have been an important player for them.
In all, the young Finn has appeared in 14 NHL games and 65 AHL contests to date. In those 65 AHL games, he holds a 31-21-8 record with a 2.53 GAA and a .912 save percentage.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News/Ottawa
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Very Different Fortunes For Two Former Canadiens Defensemen
When the New York Islanders traded Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens, they gained some cap flexibility, and they wasted no time utilizing it. On Monday afternoon, Mathieu Darche made his first big signing, or at least the first he intended to keep, when he put pen to paper with former Hab Alexander Romanov.
The 25-year-old left-handed defenseman is on Long Island to stay; he has signed an eight-year contract extension with an annual average value of $ 6.25 million. Romanov was initially drafted by the Canadiens in the second round of the 2018 draft with the 38th pick overall. Back then, the pick was considered a reach, but the young Russian has gained a lot of respect around the league.
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At the 2022 draft, the Canadiens sent him to the Islanders for a first-round pick to flip the pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Kirby Dach trade. Since then, he has become a fixture on the Isles’ blueline.
In 64 games this season, he put up 20 points and picked up 20 penalty minutes while landing 147 hits. A rugged defenseman who doesn’t shy away from physical play, Romanov saw over 22 minutes of ice time on average this season and skated alongside Dobson on the Isles’ first pairing.
While Romanov must have been celebrating, the situation was much different for another former Canadiens’ defenseman. The Columbus Blue Jackets did not extend a qualifying offer to Jordan Harris and will therefore become an unrestricted free agent at noon on July 1st.
Harris was acquired from the Canadiens in exchange for sniper Patrik Laine and a 2026 second-round pick. This season, he appeared in only 33 games with the Ohio outfit, contributing five points while averaging just 11:23 of ice time. In his last season in Montreal, he was skating just under 17 minutes and 30 seconds a night.
Photo credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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Report: Maple Leafs Lose Out On Brad Marchand Who Signing Six-Year Extension With Panthers
Brad Marchand reportedly won't be hitting NHL free agency after all.
The 37-year-old forward—a pending unrestricted free agent on July 1—appears to have signed a six-year extension with the Florida Panthers, per TSN and The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. The AAV of the deal is unknown, but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports it could be a $32 million deal in total.
Marchand was set to be one of the more coveted players on the free-agent market, with Toronto reportedly being one of the frontrunners for the veteran forward. That doesn't happen now, though, with Marchand re-upping with the Stanley Cup-winning Panthers.
The Halifax, Nova Scotia native scored 10 goals and 10 assists in 23 playoff games with Florida after joining the club at the trade deadline via the Boston Bruins. Among the teams reportedly interested in his services in free agency were Toronto, Boston, Florida, and the Utah Mammoth.
Report: Maple Leafs Trade Mitch Marner's To Vegas Golden Knights, Agrees To Eight-Year Deal Worth $12 Million AAVMitch Marner is on his way to Las Vegas.
With Marchand now locked in with the Panthers, Toronto needs to look elsewhere for a forward, potentially the trade market. Earlier Monday, the Maple Leafs acquired Matias Maccelli from Utah for a conditional third-round draft pick in 2027.
The pick could convert to a second-round draft pick in 2029, only if Maccelli records at least 51 points next season. The 24-year-old has one year left on his contract with an annual average value of $3.425 million.
The Maple Leafs have also reportedly traded Mitch Marner's negotiation rights to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Nic Roy, per Friedman. Marner reportedly signed an eight-year deal with the club at an AAV of $12 million.
Maple Leafs Trade for Matias Maccelli: Why Toronto Acquired Winger From Utah MammothThe Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round draft pick in 2027, which will convert to a second-round draft pick in 2029 if Maccelli record at least 51 points in the 2025-26 NHL season.
Toronto also signed Steven Lorentz to a three-year extension on Monday. The AAV comes in at $1.35 million, totalling out at $4.05 million over three seasons.
(Top photo of Marchand: John E. Sokolowski / Imagn Images)
Mitch Marner Leaves The Toronto Maple Leafs For Vegas, Per Report. How Did Nine Years Lead To This?
In what has felt like an inevitability since the NHL’s 2024-25 Stanley Cup playoffs ended, star right winger Mitch Marner is leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Vegas Golden Knights via a sign-and-trade deal.
Reports Saturday that the Leafs and Golden Knights were in negotiations to trade Marner only confirmed the narrative that Marner wanted out of Toronto. Now, he’s getting an eight-year contract worth $12 million annually on the Golden Knights, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
But how did it come to this?
From the time he was drafted fourth overall in 2015, Marner was seen as a very special player and a cornerstone component of the Leafs’ full rebuild.
He initially responded to the pressure of playing in Toronto very well: in his first NHL season in 2016-17, Marner posted 42 assists and 61 points in 77 games, and in his third year, he had 68 assists and 94 points. He ended up recording at least 90 points in four seasons and averaged at least a point per game in seven of his nine campaigns. This past season, Marner had a career-best 75 assists and 102 points.
Unfortunately, as Marner’s Leafs career unfolded, there was a bigger problem that overshadowed his regular-season dominance – namely, his inability to lead Toronto to deep playoff runs.
Without question, it was always unfair to Marner that he was scapegoated for the Maple Leafs’ slew of early playoff exits. He was never the kind of player who could put the team on his back and pound opponents into dust.
Still, there was always a sense that Marner wasn’t built for playoff success.
Leafs Nation watched him flail and wail as the Buds were conquered time and again in the post-season. While Marner was a point-per-game player in the post-season, he never could come up with game-changing moments when the Leafs needed them most.
As a result, the spotlight eventually scorched Marner, as he grew increasingly uncomfortable making even run-of-the-mill media availabilities.
The longer Marner played in the past year without signing a contract extension, the more it became clear that he was not long for Toronto. Whenever he was asked about his future, Marner threw out cliches and evasive answers, but the proof was in the pudding when his signature never appeared on a new contract. And rumors at the trade deadline that the Leafs asked him to waive his no-trade clause to be moved to the Carolina Hurricanes – a request Marner rejected – added to the drama.
Now, it appears that Marner is headed for the bright lights of Vegas – and a Golden Knights team that knows elite talent when it sees one.
Marner will happily be able to escape the day-to-day grind of Toronto, and he’ll be joining a Vegas squad that always seems to be ready, willing and able to go deep into the playoffs. He’ll start with a clean slate on Day 1 in Vegas, and that’s probably what he needs the most at this stage of his playing days.
Marner’s elite playmaking skills will be quite welcomed in Nevada, playing alongside Grade-A talents, such as center Jack Eichel and power forward Mark Stone. He isn’t going to be asked to be “The Man” for the Golden Knights, and that will likely allow him to relax for the first time in many years. Positive results will probably follow.
But the first time Marner returns to Toronto, you’d better believe the boo birds are going to be out in force. Leafs fans understand full well that, if Marner knew he was leaving the Leafs at the end of the past season, he could’ve helped out the Buds by accepting a trade. Instead, he reportedly acted in his own best interests to shoot down a deal that could’ve brought star right winger Mikko Rantanen to the Leafs.
While that decision was entirely within Marner’s rights as someone who negotiated a no-trade clause in good faith, Leafs fans might not see things that way. In the end, many will see the end of Marner’s career as a lost opportunity for the Leafs.
You could always see he desperately wanted things to work out, but for one reason or another, they never did. And now, at age 28, Marner will be starting a new chapter in his career. He’s getting a major raise on the $10.9 million he earned this past season, and he will likely have great success with the Golden Knights.
And now, after he’s played nine seasons with the only professional team he’s ever known, Marner is ending his Maple Leafs days moving out of the fishbowl toward the relative anonymity of the Vegas desert. The Leafs will start the post-Marner era as they search for the post-season success that Marner could never deliver.
More to come as trade details are finalized.
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Three Islanders Don't Receive Qualifying Offers
The deadline to send qualifying offers to restricted free agents was Monday at 5 PM ET.
The New York Islanders chose not to send QOs to defenseman Samuel Bolduc, Aidan Fulp and Scott Perunovich.
#Isles who did not receive qualifying offers:
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 30, 2025
D Samuel Bolduc
D Aidan Fulp
D Scott Perunovich
Bolduc played 52 games at the NHL level for the Islanders, recording eight points (four goals, four assists) but quickly fell out of favor under head coach Patrick Roy.
The 24-year-old former second round pick in 2019 recorded 35 points (nine goals, 26 games) in 69 games for Bridgeport.
Fulp, 25, went undrafted before signing with the Islanders, playing a tad over two seasons for the AHL affiliate. He never got a chance to play at the NHL level and recorded six assists in 31 games for Bridgeport last season.
Perunovich, whom the Islanders acquired from the St. Louis Blues for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft -- the conditions weren't met -- played 35 games for the Islanders with nine points (two goals, seven assists).
After a rough outing against the New York Rangers on Feb. 25, the 2020 Hobey Baker winner did not play until the final two games of the regular season.
All three players become unrestricted free agnets, with free agency beginning on Tuesday, July 1 at 12 PM ET.
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PHOTO: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
What we learned as Logan Webb strengthens MLB All-Star case despite Giants' loss
What we learned as Logan Webb strengthens MLB All-Star case despite Giants' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
PHOENIX — The 113-degree weather at first pitch on Monday night did nothing to help the Giants heat up at the plate.
For the sixth time in seven games, they were on the losing end, this time falling 4-2 to an Arizona Diamondbacks squad that is banged-up and desperately trying to stay in the wild-card race. The Giants have dropped three of four on this three-city trip so far, scoring just seven total runs.
They went down quietly against right-hander Ryan Nelson until the seventh, when Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo did them a favor by going to his bullpen with two on and two down. Tyler Fitzgerald immediately greeted Juan Morillo with a two-run double to the gap in right-center, tying the game.
The Diamondbacks went back on top in the bottom of the inning, but in the eighth, it appeared another Giants infielder had tied the game. Christian Koss — playing third base because Casey Schmitt joined Matt Chapman on the IL — hit a high fly ball to left and went into his home run trot. Left fielder Tim Tawa made a leaping attempt at the wall, but the ball was caught by a Diamondbacks fan who reached over and interfered with Tawa.
Koss was sent back to second, but the Giants challenged that it was actually a home run. After a lengthy review in New York, it was ruled that the ball would not have left the yard and Koss was left on second. That’s how it ended, as Rafael Devers and Heliot Ramos struck out as the fan was getting kicked out of Chase Field. An inning later, manager Bob Melvin was ejected.
No June Swoon Over Here
Logan Webb went at least six innings in all six starts in June, and it wasn’t until the final one that he allowed more than two runs. The Diamondbacks put three runs on his line, but there was a lot of soft contact, including in the seventh. Webb gave up three hits in that inning: one at 68 mph, one at 70 mph, and one that bounced through the right side of the infield. After a run scored, Randy Rodriguez entered and mowed down the three-four hitters to protect a couple of Webb’s runs.
The staff ace threw 40 1/3 innings in May and allowed 10 runs. He walked just seven and struck out 43, putting himself in position to potentially join Robbie Ray as a National League Pitcher of the Month. At the very least, Webb secured an MLB All-Star spot, and he should be in consideration to start the game.
Welcome Back
Melvin didn’t really know what to say when asked before the game if Fitzgerald had enough time in Triple-A to actually get a mental breather. The young infielder barely even had time to unpack, and his four-game stint back with the River Cats included a hit-by-pitch on the wrist that had to be checked out by Giants trainers when he returned Monday to take Casey Schmitt’s roster spot.
The Giants wanted Fitzgerald to get some confidence back in the minors, and he sure looked like he was carrying some swagger when he turned and yelled back to the dugout before the runners had scored on his game-tying double. Fitzgerald had a couple of doubles in his first game back.
Slow Start
Devers struck out four times for the fourth time in his career. He did it twice in the shortened 2020 MLB season, and also this March 28 when he was still with the Boston Red Sox. On Monday, Ramos struck out three times, giving the Giants seven from their two-three hitters.
Devers struck out about once per game this season in Boston but has 21 in 13 games in orange and black. He has a .670 OPS as a Giant, which is 235 points below where he was at before the trade that was supposed to lead the Giants to better offensive days.
Wilyer Abreu hits inside-the-park HR and grand slam in game vs. Reds
Wilyer Abreu hits inside-the-park HR and grand slam in game vs. Reds originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Wilyer Abreu etched his name into Boston Red Sox history during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Abreu launched one roughly 420 feet off the center-field wall at Fenway Park and turned on the jets for an electrifying inside-the-park home run. It was the first Red Sox inside-the-parker since Eduardo Nunez’s in 2018.
Abreu’s rare feat gave the Red Sox an 8-5 lead, and he wasn’t done yet. In the eighth inning, he came through again with his first career grand slam to widen Boston’s lead to 13-5.
Those were Abreu’s 15th and 16th homers of the season. He is the first Red Sox player to hit an inside-the-park homer and a conventional homer in the same game since Pokey Reese in 2004.
The Red Sox went on to defeat the Reds in the series opener, 13-6.
Report: Maple Leafs Trade Mitch Marner To Vegas Golden Knights, Agrees To Eight-Year Deal Worth $12 Million AAV
Mitch Marner is on his way to Las Vegas.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs have traded Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights just one day before the star player was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Friedman reports that Vegas signed Marner to an eight-year deal worth $12 million per season. Vegas needed to make a trade with Toronto by 11:59 p.m. ET in order to offer the eighth year. The trade ends much speculation about the player's future in Toronto. He had been linked in a potential trade to Vegas dating back to last season.
According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, forward Nic Roy is the only return in the deal, making it a 1-for-1 trade for Marner's rights.
Roy was speculated as part of the reported talks between the two clubs when word broke on Saturday.
Report: Maple Leafs And Golden Knights Discussing Mitch Marner Sign And Trade, Could Include Nic RoyThe Mitch Marner sweepstakes could end before free agency begins.
Vegas' interest in the All-Star forward reportedly went back as far as last summer when Marner's future came into question. On July 1, 2024, the player was eligible to sign a contract extension with the Leafs but never engaged in those discussions. In recent days, word came that the Golden Knights, Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes had worked on a three-team trade that would have sent Marner to Toronto on a couple of occasions, but that the package never satisfied the Canes, thus ending that speculation.
Marner addressed his future on few occasions last season. When he reported to training camp he opened by saying he would not take questions or comment on his future. When word came to light of Carolina's attempt to land Marner ahead of the NHL trade deadline in a deal that would have seen forward Mikko Rantanen join Toronto. Marner declined the request and Rantanen was traded to the Dallas Stars and subsequently signed an eight-year deal worth $12 million per season.
The trade on Monday effectively ends the Marner era in Toronto. He leaves the Maple Leafs as the fifth-leading scorer in franchise history with 221 goals and 520 assists in 657 games. A local boy, Marner was drafted fourth overall in the 2015 NHL Draft and played nine seasons for his hometown club. But it ends on a bit of a sour note. The Leafs won just two playoff rounds during his tenure with the club. He was often scapegoated for the team's lack of postseason success. In his final game as a Leaf, he was booed when he touched the puck in the last few shifts as they fell 6-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series against the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. It's a cautionary tale of a superstar that should have had more success beyond his individual accomplishments, which were plentiful, and should no doubt help a Vegas Club that has established success.
(Photo credit: IMAGN Images)
Report: Maple Leafs Trying To Re-Sign Steven Lorentz Before Free Agency OpensThe Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly attempting a last-minute effort to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Steven Lorentz.
Maple Leafs Trade for Matias Maccelli: Why Toronto Acquired Winger From Utah MammothThe Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round draft pick in 2027, which will convert to a second-round draft pick in 2029 if Maccelli record at least 51 points in the 2025-26 NHL season.
Maple Leafs Prospects Easton Cowan And Ben Danford Highlight 2025 Development Camp RosterThe Toronto Maple Leafs have announced their roster for this year's development camp. Wheeler exceptional through 8 scoreless innings to hand Phillies win over Padres
Wheeler exceptional through 8 scoreless innings to hand Phillies win over Padres originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Talk about starting the week (and the homestand) off right.
The Phillies wrapped up June on a strong note, collecting their 50th win of the season Monday against the Padres, 4-0.
The club finished the month 14-13, and while it was a stretch teetering along the .500 mark, the Phillies enter July sitting two games up on the Mets in the NL East. Only the Dodgers have a better record in the National League.
To be able to say that, even with the offensive coin toss they’ve had over the past few weeks, is a feat in itself.
It’s a broken record when it comes to Zack Wheeler starts but the Phillies are spoiled rotten when he takes the mound. Wheeler went 8.0 innings for the first time this season and didn’t allow a run on six hits. It’s the first time he’s reached double-digit strikeouts (10) since Apr. 18 against the Marlins (13). Monday also marked his third straight scoreless outing.
It’s greatness. Time and time and time again.
If you give up a leadoff walk in an inning, there’s a good chance you’ll have to pay for it. In Matt Waldron’s second of six walks of the night, he sent Max Kepler to first on four pitches. Kepler would cross home plate two batters later.
One inning later, Kepler was inches away from helping the Phillies go up three more runs … if it weren’t for one of the best catches to ever happen at Citizens Bank Park.
With two men on, Kepler drilled a ball to deep center field and Jackson Merrill snatched it over the fence. The timing and extension from the 6-foot-3 center fielder was impeccable and he brought the ball, and everyone in the ballpark, back to Earth to end the third.
It’s OK though because the next time the offense was up, utter chaos ensued on the basepaths. Bryson Stott walked, then stole his 13th bag of the season. Brandon Marsh out-hustled Luis Arraez on a groundout to first, which somehow scored Stott. A wild pitch advanced Marsh and he then read a Trea Turner dribble up the third baseline so well, both he and Turner were safe.
Given Turner’s level of consistency this season, it’s borderline absurd his offensive contributions have been discussed so little. Turner is the only player in the National League with over 100 hits (102). The closest to him is Shohei Ohtani, who has eight less with only a one-game differential.
Small ball was what got the job done Sunday in Atlanta to collect a series win. Perhaps the Phillies realized it was a solid enough recipe once again.
When you have your ace on the mound, usually a few runs is all you need.
The addition of a Nick Castellanos long ball was a nice touch, though. It was his second home run in four days.
For the first time in 24 days, Bryce Harper was back in the starting lineup. The club reinstated him from the 10-day injured list prior to Monday’s game. Harper was dealing with right wrist inflammation, and at this point, he said he didn’t think he “was going to take any other steps forward of feeling better.”
It’s something he and the Phillies will be monitoring for the remainder of the season.
What’s clear though – is how much better the lineup operates with him. Yes, that’s a given because it’s Harper – but having a lineup that stretches out just that bit more is what the Phillies have desperately missed since he went on the IL.
Pitchers approach the Phillies differently when No. 3 is in. Harper didn’t have a hit in his return but walked and was hit by a pitch.