Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormak pushes for merit-based 16-team playoff with five automatic bids, rejecting proposals that lock in extra spots for power conferences.
Phillies notes: RISP problems, Aaron Nola updates and Bryson Stott's struggles
Phillies notes: RISP problems, Aaron Nola updates and Bryson Stott's struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
SAN FRANCISCO – As observers as to the drought the Phillies are going through with runners in scoring position, you can somewhat feel the angst that the players must be feeling as they are now 0-for-24, turning RISP into a legitimate four-letter word, you know, like the swearing kind.
Phillies reserve Otto Kemp has both been in the lineup when it hasn’t delivered and watched from the bench during the struggles. While the situation is known, the approach to fixing it isn’t the rock-solid answer that many would want.
“It’s just a case where you can’t be over aggressive or looking for too much,” said Kemp, who is in the lineup Tuesday in left field and batting sixth against Giants All-Star lefty Robbie Ray.
“If you get something in the zone you have to hit the ball hard. It’s not just all about getting base hits. It’s about having good at-bats, and that could mean moving the runner over when needed. Hitting the ball hard somewhere which may force an error or something like that. It may not be a hit, but it’s getting the job done and that’s what we’re here to do. It’s not something that’s gone on for weeks and that is getting, like, religious to us, so we just go about our at-bats. You can’t think too much about it, but we know it. Good at bats will come. I’m confident in that. We have too many good hitters for it not to.”
When asked his approach to managing this kind of team slump, manager Rob Thomson kept it pretty simple. “I think Kevin (Long, hitting coach) talks as a team and I approach individually at times, sure, depending on who the player is and what they’re going through. It’s just a matter of relaxing them and as we always say – get a good pitch to hit, work counts, use the field.”
Sounds simple enough. We will see what happens.
What’s the update on Aaron Nola?
Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola flew down to Clearwater this past weekend to rehab himself from a rib cage fracture. A sprained ankle and now the newer injury have had Nola sidelined since May 15. Thomson said last week that his rehab time would be equivalent to going through spring training before he’d be ready to come back. As for the most recent update, Thomson said on Tuesday, “He’s going to throw a bullpen again tomorrow and then on Saturday and then we’ll go from there.”
With Nola out and Mick Abel being sent to the minors, Taijuan Walker took the mound for the start on Tuesday. His has been a roller coaster ride from bullpen to starter, and the manager knows that might be something that has to continue for a little bit.
There has been no commitment by anyone that prized prospect Andrew Painter will be coming up after the All-Star break, which begins after Sunday’s game in San Diego. And Abel is going to need to find his command again before he may get the nod. So, for the foreseeable future, it could be Walker?
“Very professional,” Thomson said of Walker. “It is difficult to go back and forth but he’s really handled it well. He’s all about the team and does whatever is needed to help the team. I know he’s going to go out there and compete. You can check that box before he even goes out because he’s going to compete.”
Monday night’s mishaps
Thomson wasn’t about to pin any blame on Monday’s home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, who missed many calls, some coming when Bryce Harper was hitting and a couple others when Orion Kerkering was pitching. Each of them had a major effect on what turned into a 3-1 win by the Giants when they scored two runs in the eighth inning after Kerkering wasn’t given a strikeout, not once, but twice, against Matt Chapman.
“Hey look, I don’t blame losses on umpires,” Thomson said. “I don’t. We had plenty of chances to win that game. Everybody has bad nights. I have bad nights, players have bad nights. Phil’s been around a long time. He’s been a really good umpire for a long time. Just one of those nights. Can’t get it back. We had plenty of chances.”
Bryson Stott’s struggles
As the Phillies were going to face a left handed pitcher on Tuesday, that meant Edmundo Sosa at second base and Bryson Stott to the bench. Asked last week about Sosa in the lineup, Thomson definitively said that he will play against lefties, as Stott has struggled at the plate this season hitting .233 against left handers and just .241 against right handers.
“Kind of hot and cold,” is how Thomson described his second baseman’s hitting. “I think he’s gotten into a little bit of a habit where right now he’s gotten a little bit long (with his swing). He hit the home run the other day (Sunday, game-winning, two-run shot) which was great. It looked real short. He’s had some good swings but then again he gets a little bit long sometimes. He’s still seeing a lot of pitches, which is good. But, yeah, have the balance between seeing pitches and having the right mild aggressiveness go get some and do some damage. I still have confidence that by the time we’re done here this year he’s gonna find it.”
Speed of NBA game tests Warriors draft pick Alex Toohey in summer league debut
Speed of NBA game tests Warriors draft pick Alex Toohey in summer league debut originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – After days of waiting to make his NBA summer league debut at the California Classic, Alex Toohey certainly didn’t envision wearing a Warriors jersey for the first time to be in a nearly empty Chase Center.
“First of all, it was obviously nice to be out there and not watch for once,” Toohey said Tuesday night. “It was definitely weird with no fans, but I mean, just got to play no matter what. I’ve probably played in more games with empty gyms than full gyms.
“Kind of used to it, but definitely hard.”
Fans were not allowed in the arena Tuesday. The final day of the California Classic always is reserved for the media, team personnel and family.
Warriors fans didn’t miss much. The Warriors lost 93-79 against the Miami Heat to conclude their three games on their home court, going 1-2 overall. Their first Las Vegas Summer League game is Friday at 8 p.m. PT against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Toohey, the No. 52 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, played 24 minutes against the Heat and finished the loss with six points, six rebounds, four turnovers and three fouls. He went 1 of 5 from the field and missed all three of his 3-point attempts but was a perfect 4 of 4 at the free throw line.
His one made shot was a layup at the rim after being rewarded for constant movement without the ball.
“He played pretty hard and he’s just taking time to adapt to the game and whatnot,” coach Lainn Wilson said. “For his first showing, from an effort standpoint is everything we asked for. Then we just got to take a look and see for him adapting to the game and such.
“It’s normal for a guy in his position.”
Watching from the bench is far different than playing the game. Toohey, in the Warriors’ first two games, had a front-row view of the speed and physicality of summer league after spending the last two years playing professionally in Australia. He admitted the size and length of his competition will take some time getting used to.
There were times that he had a step on his man, only to see a hand in the lane obstruct his play.
“I think it’s definitely a jump,” Toohey said. “The athletes here are the best of the best. It’ll definitely take some adjusting to, but I think overall, as long as you get better each day you’re trending in the right direction.”
Summer league can be extremely physical, often resulting in sloppy showings without much flow to the game. Players have 10 fouls to work with instead of fouling out at six. The extra fouls usually lead to a whole lot of hacking, making it unfair to judge players off one game or multiple exhibitions that won’t count in the long run.
Warriors scouts and front office executives traveled twice to Australia during the NBL’s season to watch Toohey and other prospects. The reasons they were intrigued by him then are the same reasons they believe in him going forward.
The size, versatility and intelligence of the 21-year-old were seen Tuesday, despite an unkind box score. Toohey, who plays both forward positions, began the game guarding point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, the player the Heat took in the first round with the pick they received from the Warriors in February’s Jimmy Butler trade at No. 20 overall. He also spent time on forward Keshad Johnson, as well as guards Pelle Larsson and Kira Lewis Jr.
Toohey forced a backcourt violation on Larsson near the end of the first half, and he also was beat off the dribble a couple of times by the 6-foot-5 guard who averaged 14.2 minutes per game as a rookie last season. Both instances are experiences he can grow from.
While Toohey only made one shot, the ball never stuck to his hands. And his feet constantly were moving. Team basketball, offensively and defensively, appears to come naturally to him.
There’s a lot Toohey can take from his summer league debut, and he’ll look to build off the positives and negatives in Las Vegas starting Friday night.
“I thought I struggled,” Toohey admitted. “I was good in patches, but overall probably wasn’t as consistent as I’d like to see. Kind of adjusting to that next level of play, and I think it’s just going to get better each time.”
Will The Sabres Check In With Selling Penguins?
The Buffalo Sabres pulled off a trade on NHL Draft weekend, sending Connor Clifton to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Conor Timmins and minor leaguer Issac Belliveau. The deal was a salary dump of the veteran blueliner in the final year of his three-year, $10 million contract, for which the rebuilding Penguins received a 2025 second-round pick.
The Penguins appear to be one of the few teams this summer who are open for business and in full sell mode, likely to improve their chances at getting the best odds of winning the draft lottery to select presumptive top pick Gavin McKenna at the 2026 NHL Draft, and according to Josh Yohe of the Athletic, Pens GM Kyle Dubas is shopping veteran forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.
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Both forwards had career-best seasons and have three years remaining on their contracts.. The 32-year-old Rakell had 70 points (35 goals, 35 assists) in 81 games, while the two-time Cup winning Rust, 33, had 65 points (31 goals, 34 assists) in 71 games. Yohe indicates that both players do not want to leave Pittsburgh, but Rust does not have any no-trade protections, while Rakell has an eight-team no-trade list.
The Sabres appeared to be depending on the return of a swap involving defenseman Bowen Byram to bring back a top-six forward to replace winger JJ Peterka, but with the blueliner headed for team-elected salary arbitration later this month, the possibility of the 24-year-old staying in Buffalo has to be considered. GM Kevyn Adams has the right assets available in the form of drt picks and prospects to make a trade for either veteran and the cap space to fit either Rust or Rakell in, it is just the question of whether the Sabres are willing to make that type of move to improve their playoff chances.
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Calgary Hitmen Forward Ben Kindel Signs Entry-Level Contract With The Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Ben Kindel to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Calgary Hitmen forward was drafted by Pittsburgh 11th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Kindel is the second WHLer from this year's draft to sign his ELC, joining Lydon Lakovic, who the Washington Capitals signed on July 5.
Kindle had a career year in 2024-25, recording 99 points in 65 games. He also won a Gold Medal with Canada at the 2025 U18s, producing seven points in five games. Kindle was the third WHLer selected in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and was one of three players from the WHL who the Penguins drafted.
At this point, Kindel is projected to return to the WHL for the 2025-26 season. If he does, the 18-year-old has a good chance of once again being one of the league leaders in points. Kindel will also be a name to watch for Canada's 2026 World Juniors team.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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Golden Knights Development Camp Spotlight: Kai Uchacz
Among the returning recruits to the 2025 Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp is forward Kai Uchacz. Earlier in March, Uchacz was signed by the Knights to a two-year, entry-level contract.
It was a highlight reel worthy rookie season for Kai Uchacz 🎥 pic.twitter.com/TQpcpoDDX2
— Henderson Silver Knights (@HSKnights) June 5, 2025
Uchacz, 22, is a 6-foot-2 right-winger from Calgary, Alberta, who just came off his first professional season with the Henderson Silver Knights on a one-year AHL contract. In his rookie season, he put up a total of 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists). At his last development camp in 2024 with the organization, he was invited to compete for the Golden Knights at the Rookie Faceoff in Los Angeles, where he posted an assist.
“Just excited to finish the summer here, keep working, developing, just getting bigger, faster, stronger,” Uchacz said. “Confidence is a big thing. I feel like coming into the year last year, it was my first year pro, and I was just kind of getting my feet under me. Guys are a little bit bigger, guys are faster, so I’m just adjusting to that.”
Prior to going pro, Uchacz spent three seasons in the WHL with the Red Deer Rebels. During his third and final season with them in the 2023–24 campaign, he served as captain, putting up a grand total of 81 points (42 goals, 39 assists) in 68 games. Uchacz was named to the WHL First All-Star Team twice, posting consecutive 80-point seasons (2022–23, 2023–24).
“It was a great first year, and I’m really excited to go back,” Uchacz said. “Big second year, I’m going to really push to have a really good start to my season and hopefully continue it through.”
NHL Rumors: Blackhawks Should Target Top Free Agent Left
The Chicago Blackhawks currently have over $22 million of cap space to work with. Because of this, they are in a prime position to add to their roster, and one area that they could look to improve before the season is here is their forward group.
While many of this year's top unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have signed new contracts, there are still some interesting players still available for the taking. Jack Roslovic is arguably the most notable, and he is a player the Blackhawks should seriously consider targeting.
When looking at Chicago's middle six, it is fair to argue that it could use a boost. Bringing in a player like Roslovic would provide them with just that, as he provides solid secondary offensive production when playing at his best. He demonstrated that this past season, as he posted 22 goals and 39 points in 81 games with the Carolina Hurricanes. He has also hit the 20-goal and 40-point marks twice during his career.
If the Blackhawks signed Roslovic, he could be a perfect fit for their third-line center spot. However, he is also capable of playing the wing, so he would give the Blackhawks multiple options to work with. In addition, due to his offensive skill, he would also work on their power play.
Overall, with the Blackhawks having plenty of cap space and needing help on offense, they should seriously consider taking a flier on Roslovic. At 28 years old, he is also right in his prime, which is certainly not a bad thing.
NHL Free Agency: 4 Ex-Blackhawks Still Looking For New HomesOne week has now passed since the start of NHL free agency. Because of this, the majority of this year's notable unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who hit the market have signed their new contracts.
Photo Credit: © James Guillory-Imagn Images
Yankees place Mark Leiter Jr. on IL due to fibular head stress fracture
The Yankees have placed right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. on the IL due to a left fibular head stress fracture.
The fibular head is where the upper end of your fibula meets the tibia and moves with it when you move your knee joint.
Leiter told reporters that he suffered the injury while covering first base against the Reds on June 24.
There is no timetable for Leiter's return.
With Leiter out, right-hander Clayton Beeter has been called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Leiter had been struggling lately, allowing runs in three of his last five appearances -- though he tossed a scoreless frame against the Blue Jays on July 3 and 0.2 innings of scoreless ball against the Mets on Sunday.
Beeter has pitched in one big league game this season, when he allowed three runs on three hits while walking two and striking out none in 1.2 innings.
Penguins' 2025 First Round Pick Signs Entry-Level Contract
With three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins were aiming to maximize the addition of talent in their system.
And they got the first of those three picks locked up.
On Tuesday, the Penguins signed 11th overall pick Ben Kindel to a three-year, entry-level contract, making him NHL-eligible for the 2025-26 season. Kindel was the the first of three first-round selections for the Penguins, with the others being Bill Zonnon (22nd overall) and Will Horcoff (24th overall).
Kindel, 18, registered 35 goals and 99 points last season for the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, where he is a teammate of Penguins' forward prospect Tanner Howe. The 5-foot-10, 176-pound center has accrued 50 goals and 159 points in 134 career WHL games.
He just wrapped up his first Prospect Development Camp with the Penguins from Jul. 3-7.
Penguins Prospect Development Camp: Standouts From Day 2With two full days of Prospect Development Camp in the books for the Pittsburgh Penguins, there has been a lot to digest.
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Feature image credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News
Scott Frost rips his bad Nebraska stint after returning to UCF: ‘It wasn’t a good move’
Scott Frost was hired back at UCF in December after a brief, rough run at Nebraska.
Former Flyers Coach Dave Hakstol Joins Avalanche as Assistant
Former Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol has been hired by the Colorado Avalanche to be an assistant coach, the Avalanche announced Tuesday.
Hakstol, 56, did not coach in the NHL in the 2024-25 season, only serving as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup on Gerard Gallant's staff.
“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Avalanche. This is a proud organization with a lot of talented players and a tremendous coaching staff led by Jared Bednar," Hakstol said in the Avalanche's press release.
"I look forward to being a part of this special group and can't wait to get to work and help the team in any way that I can. My family and I are also very much looking forward to being a part of this community and wonderful state of Colorado.”
Hakstol will be replacing the recently departed Ray Bennett, who previously ran Colorado's power play, coaching alongside Bednar and fellow assistant coach Nolan Pratt.
Flyers Development Camp 2025 Scrimmage Winners, Notes, and ObservationsIf the Philadelphia Flyers have one thing to look forward to in the coming months, it's the continued development of their standout prospects.
The Drayton Valley, Alberta, native is best known for his four seasons spent with the Flyers as head coach - his longest-tenured job in the NHL to date.
In parts of four seasons with the Flyers, Hakstol guided the Orange and Black to a 134-101-42 record, a .560 points percentage, and two first-round playoff exits.
More recently, Hakstol served as the bench boss for the Seattle Kraken, going 107-112-27 with a .490 points percentage in three seasons while also leading the NHL's newest franchise to their first-ever playoff berth and playoff series win - a seven-game stunner over the Avalanche, who he now joins as an assistant.
Kings guard Dennis Schröder praises ‘unique' All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis
Kings guard Dennis Schröder praises ‘unique' All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
“He’s unique.”
That’s what the Kings’ newest free-agent signee Dennis Schröder had to say about Sacramento’s All-NBA center, Domantas Sabonis when the point guard met with the media in Sacramento on Tuesday during his introduction press conference.
“How he pushes the pace when he gets the rebound, gluing everybody together, getting people backdoor cuts,” Schröder told reporters. “Great passes, really physical big, set screens, great in the pocket, can shoot it. You know, I mean, he’s unique.”
Schröder became the Kings’ biggest 2025 NBA free-agency acquisition once the team’s sign-and-trade deal with the Detroit Pistons became official Monday.
Schröder, a 12-year NBA veteran, will get his first taste of playing with Sabonis, who finished first in the league in rebounds per game and 18th in assists per game this past season. In 2023-24, Sabonis joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only other player in NBA history to have more than 1,000 total points, 1,000 total rebounds and 600 total assists in a season.
“I’m looking forward to compete with him,” Schröder said. “We had a couple of battles in Europe, as well, so now he’s on my side. We’re on the same side so really looking forward to compete with him.”
Schröder and Sabonis look to be a formidable one-two punch for Sacramento as the team hopes to reach the playoffs this upcoming season after falling in the play-in games the past two years.
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Mets sign RHP Junior Fernandez to minor league deal
The Mets signed RHP Junior Fernandez to a minor league contract on Tuesday among a handful of roster moves, the team announced.
Fernandez, 28, will report to Triple-A Syracuse. He owns a 5.17 ERA over 51 MLB games, last pitching in the bigs in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The right-hander most recently was with the Kansas City Royals organization, throwing in 31 games for Triple-A Omaha this season. He went 2-5 with a 4.93 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over 38.1 IP prior to being released on July 1.
What stands out about Fernandez is that he struck out 53 batters with 26 walks this season in Triple-A, resulting in an impressive 12.44 strikeouts per nine innings.
Fernandez started his professional career with the St. Louis Cardinals, signing as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2016. He made his MLB debut with the club in 2019. The righty was DFA'd in 2022 and claimed off waivers by the Pirates, making three appearances with the team. He then played 42 games for the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A team in 2022, followed by nine appearances for the Washington Nationals' Triple-A team in 2023.
He signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball ahead of the 2024 season, but had to get surgery on his clavicle and only made two appearances for the farm team before being released in July of 2024.
Mavericks' Anthony Davis undergoes surgery to repair detached retina, expected to be ready to start season
Anthony Davis missed a healthy chunk of last season due to an abdominal injury, but that was not the only thing he was playing through, we have come to learn.
Davis underwent a procedure to "repair a detached retina that he suffered during the season," Shams Charania of ESPN reports. He adds that "Davis played through multiple hits to the face" and should be ready to go at the start of next season.
While the report uses the term "retinal detachment," this phrase can also often refer to a retinal tear (which can lead to detachment and is a condition treatable by laser surgery) or even retinal bruising. Regardless of the actual injury, this is something considered highly treatable.
Multiple NBA players have suffered retina injuries, including Dirk Nowitzki who bruised his right retina in 2006. Players to endure retina tears or detached retinas include Matt Barnes, DJ Mbenga, &, most famously, Amar'e Stoudemire. Fortunately surgery has a high success rate.
— Jeff Stotts (@InStreetClothes) July 8, 2025
Davis averaged 24.7 points and 11.6 rebounds a game while playing elite defense in the 51 games he did play. This season, a healthy Davis joins No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg as well as Derrick Lively II in what should be one of the best front lines in the NBA.
ECHL Teams Announce Qualifying Offers
The ECHL on Tuesday released the list of Players who received a valid qualifying offer from ECHL teams by the July 7 deadline.
Players who had already signed a contract by July 7 did not need to receive a qualifying offer.
Each team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four could be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the upcoming 2025-26 Season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.
The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until July 22 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.
A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player, or to a goaltender who has played more than 180 regular-season games, will retain the rights to that player until July 22. After July 22, if the veteran player or goaltender is not signed to a contract by the team, the player shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams.
Restricted free agents may not be traded. When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team with the player’s rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player’s rights and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association.
The member with the player’s rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.
If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by August 8, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.
For a complete list of players who received qualifying offers, click here.
(Photo Courtesy of the ECHL)