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What we learned as Giants blow another early lead in deflating loss vs. Dodgers

What we learned as Giants blow another early lead in deflating loss vs. Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

LOS ANGELES — There are few things better for a lineup than striking gold right away. You give your pitcher a nice early lead, you put the other starter in a hole, you get the other bullpen going right away, etc. etc. It’s what teams talk about every day when they have their hitters’ meetings. Be aggressive and get a big early lead. It’s the dream. 

Unless you’re the San Francisco Giants. 

For the third time in eight games, the lineup scored four runs in the first inning. The Giants have somehow lost all three games. 

This time, it was Bryce Eldridge who came up big. The organization’s top prospect in a decade cleared the bases with a three-run double in the top of the first and picked up his first MLB hit. But the Giants let Tyler Glasnow off the hook in the 43-pitch inning, and by the time the offense got back on the board, they trailed. 

Since moving into a tie for a Wild Card spot, the Giants have dropped seven of eight. They’re 1-4 on this road trip and will attempt to avoid a four-game sweep on Sunday behind rookie Trevor McDonald. They can’t be eliminated on the final day of an awful trip, but that could come as soon as Monday. 

First Of Many

Eldridge scorched a couple of balls in Phoenix and hit a liner to right on Thursday night, but he still was looking for a batting average when he walked to the plate with the bases loaded in the first inning. 

On a 2-1 count, he extended his arms and smoked a fastball the other way and off the base of the wall in left. It was the third ball that Eldridge has hit this week that would have been a homer in at least a half-dozen big league parks but the one he was playing in. He later struck out, grounded out to second and drew a walk. 

The Roller Coaster

It’s hard to know what to make of Kai-Wei Teng’s audition for a big league job. The right-hander entered the night with a 6.41 ERA, but he has been elite when it comes to hard-hit percentage, expected statistics and strikeout rate. Saturday’s start at Dodger Stadium was another head scratcher. 

Teng allowed just one hit and struck out six. He was also so wild, particularly in the third inning, that manager Bob Melvin pulled him after 74 pitches. In the third, Teng struck out Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, walked Mookie Betts, and hit Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez. On his final pitch of the night, he got a popup from Tommy Edman, leaving the bases loaded. 

Teng left his eighth appearance of the year with a 6.37 ERA but also a 3.82 FIP. In 29 2/3 innings, he has 39 strikeouts but also 17 walks and seven hit batters. There seems to be a good big leaguer in there somewhere if the Giants can just figure out why some of the misses are so big.

The Shohei Problem

About 21 months ago, the Giants hosted Ohtani at Oracle Park and agreed to his ask of a heavily-deferred $700 million contract. He instead chose the Dodgers, and he has spent the last two seasons absolutely demolishing the team that hoped to build a future around him.

Ohtani went deep in the sixth, giving the Dodgers a fourth homer and extending their lead. It was his sixth homer against the Giants this season and 10th in 25 rivalry games since signing with the Dodgers.

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Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Will Fourth-Liner Kozak Assert Himself As A Full-Time NHLer?

Tyson Kozak (left); Jack Drury (right) -- (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)

The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season is just about here, and on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re almost done with our player-by-player series in which we analyze expectations for each Buffalo player this coming season.

We’ve moved through Buffalo’s goalies, blueliners, and most of the top-four lines of forwards. And in this file, we’re examining the expectations for right forward Tyson Kozak. The 22-year-old only broke into the NHL this past season, so Sabres fans should be cautious in what they expect him to do in ‘25-26. But let’s get to our breakdown of what Kozak can be counted on to deliver this year:

Player Name: Tyson Kozak

Position: Center

Age: 22

2024-25 Key Statistics: 21 games, three goals, five points, 10:29 average time on ice

2025-26 Salary:$775,000

2025-26 Expectations: Kozak was a seventh-round pick (193rd overall) in 2021, so it’s a minor miracle and a major credit to him that he’s risen through the ranks and is likely to start the season on Buffalo’s NHL roster. He’s spent the majority of the past two seasons with the Sabres’ American League affiliate in Rochester, N.Y., averaging 42 games, six goals and 12 points per season. So this is not someone who is suddenly going to experience a points surge at the NHL level.

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Can First-Year Sabre Live Up To Expectations For His Star NHL Dad?Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Can First-Year Sabre Live Up To Expectations For His Star NHL Dad?The NHL’s 2025-26 regular season is almost upon us, and here on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re close to the end of our player-by-player series in which we break down the expectations for every Sabres player during this coming season.

While Kozak will probably be in the press box as a healthy scratch, an injury, trade or underperforming player will open up a spot for Kozak to be a night-in, night-out player for Buffalo. And yes, there’s still a possibility he’s sent back to Rochester this year. 

Certainly, Kozak’s modest salary this season – he’s actually taking a pay cut on a three-year contract – makes him easier for Buffalo’s management to keep around at the NHL level. But imagining he’s any more than a fourth-liner is imagining that many things will have to go wrong for the players above Kozak on the Sabres’ depth chart.

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Fourth-Liner Malenstyn May Be Entering Final Season In BuffaloSabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Fourth-Liner Malenstyn May Be Entering Final Season In BuffaloWe’re almost at the start of the NHL’s 2025-26 regular season, and on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re nearing the conclusion of our exclusive player-by-player series in which we break down the expectations for each Sabres player this coming season.

Kozak barely got 10 minutes a night from Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff last season, so it’s difficult to envision that number suddenly surges to even 14 or 15 minutes a night is a serious stretch. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, Kozak isn’t going to be a physical menace or a net-front presence for the Sabres. He’s got Father Time on his side right now, but that doesn’t mean he’lll be a needle-mover in any regard. 

The Sabres have more than their share of fourth-line talents and young prospects, so the competition Kozak is facing is going to challenge him to either step up or step out of the way. He’s likely to get opportunities to prove himself a capable NHLer, but Kozak is on the clock at the same time. He needs to assert himself as being worthy of playing in hockey’s top league, or he’ll be an AHLer for many years to come.

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Kraken's Berkly Catton Embracing The Battles Of Training Camp; Taking Advantage Of Veteran Linemates

Seattle Kraken center Berkly Catton has two options: make the NHL roster out of camp, or return to the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL.

If it were up to the 19-year-old, he wouldn't play a game in the WHL ever again.

But that's not how it works. Catton must impress the Kraken coaching staff throughout training camp and the pre-season, and then he'll have nine games to prove he deserves to stay in the NHL. So far, Catton is off to a good start. 

"I’ve liked them. And I think Catton has looked good," said coach Lane Lambert when referring to Catton's line, which features Jared McCann and captain Jordan Eberle. 

The adjustment to the NHL game is different, but Catton is staying true to his game and playing with a new level of intensity. 

"I think it's a lot different," said Catton when adjusting to the NHL game. "I'm not going to go into a battle with Larsson and outmuscle him. If anything, I have to be quicker or try to get the puck before him, little things like that."

Berkly Catton (Candace Kludt / Come As You Are Hockey)

Catton also attributes his early success in training camp to his linemates. Saying their veteran presence, combined with their skill, has made the transition easier than he expected. 

"Helps when I'm on a line with two really good players. They always make plays and stuff, and even communicate with me about where I need to be. It's been great playing with them, and they've shown me a lot in two days. It's pretty cool playing on a line with Jordan Eberle and McCann, so I'm just cherishing that. I think they are really smart hockey players, and I have an ability to make plays too, and in two days, I think we have good chemistry. It's been fun."

The first step for Catton is to impress in the upcoming pre-season games so he can earn his nine-game call-up. If he can do so in both, he could very well spend the 2025-26 season in the NHL.

Kraken's Berkly Catton Entering Camp Stronger And More ConfidentKraken's Berkly Catton Entering Camp Stronger And More ConfidentBerkly Catton is entering his second rookie camp and training with the Seattle Kraken, but this time around, his intentions are greater, hoping to earn a roster spot. 
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The Hockey Show: Gauging possibility of Kaprizov, McDavid, Crosby all playing for new teams

NHL training camps are off and running, and no podcast could be happier about it than The Hockey Show!

Not only is the new season basically here, but there are also plenty of interesting storylines to follow regarding several of the league’s top players and teams.

While discussing the biggest stories happening around the NHL, The Hockey Show hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period on the show this week.

Among the topics they got into were Kirill Kaprizov’s contract situation in Minnesota, the future of Connor McDavid in Edmonton and where goaltender Carter Hart may end up now that he is allowed to sign with an NHL team.

They also discussed whether Sidney Crosby could be traded by Pittsburgh to a Stanley Cup contender at some point, and L.A. Kings legend Anze Kopitar announcing that this season will be his last in the league.

This week’s wins and fails included a durag appearance in a preseason game, a goalie scoring on himself during a prospect showcase and the Islanders players finally being able to grow out their facial hair.

You can check out the full episode and interview in the videos below:

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When the Jets Faced $152-Million Dilemma Ahead of 2016 Deadline

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Prepare For Launch - Jan. 25 2016 - Vol. 69 Issue 10 - Tim Campbell

THE FIRST GLANCE AT THE 2015-16 salary cap accounting holds something of a double take near its bottom. Is that really the Winnipeg Jets racing the likes the Arizona and Nashville to the salary floor?

The answer is yes, temporarily, and mostly by design.

The Jets are on track to go into the off-season with the most available cap space of 30 teams, all of which may be needed to solve issues that grow more urgent with each passing game.

Winnipeg may not have the most prominent pending free agents come July 1 – hello, Steven Stamkos, Eric Staal, Anze Kopitar and David Backes – but its combined list of those in the final years of contracts is the stickiest of situations.

Captain Andrew Ladd and Dman Dustin Byfuglien head the list. Both are UFAs on July 1 if they can’t find an extension with Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

Shrinking NHL Pre-Season Could Present Opportunity For AHLShrinking NHL Pre-Season Could Present Opportunity For AHLThe NHL's recent CBA changes could lead to a longer AHL pre-season, following the NHL cutting down on exhibition games. 

And coming out of their entry-level deals are defenseman Jacob Trouba and centers Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry. Goalie Michael Hutchinson is also an RFA.

After their first playoff berth since the 2011 relocation (and their first as a franchise since 2007), the team opted to give roster spots to young players (Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrew Copp, even Alex Burmistrov) instead of bringing in older free agents, allowing Cheveldayoff to orchestrate this enviable amount of cap space. But does he have enough to satisfy everyone?

The answer appears to be no, unless he can realize some extraordinary hometown discounts. That’s not likely to happen or even be proposed.

The Jets reside in the NHL’s smallest market yet are solidly a middle-revenue team and have said repeatedly they will spend at the appropriate time. That time is upon them, but when it comes to the inevitable choices, they won’t be easy.

Fitting the puzzle together almost surely starts with Ladd and Byfuglien, two clear leaders in the room.

Ladd, who just turned 30, is coming out of a five-year, $22-million deal that was good value for the Jets. He was their leading scorer last season and has given the team nothing but 20-plus goal years plus leadership. Ladd is seeking a healthy raise and reportedly six years in likely his last big chance at a major contract score.

Byfuglien, who turns 31 in March, is also coming out of a five-year deal, his worth $26 million and paying him $6 million in this final season. That contract was also good value for the team, given the big man’s in-game impact, especially once he got past conditioning issues in earlier Winnipeg seasons. His ask is reportedly eight years and $55 million.

Exclusive: Dale Hawerchuk’s Heartfelt Reflections on Winnipeg, Shared Before His PassingExclusive: Dale Hawerchuk’s Heartfelt Reflections on Winnipeg, Shared Before His PassingThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

Five-and-a-half months after the negotiation window opened, however, no extensions had been agreed upon. Only a few dribs of information had emerged as Cheveldayoff has held fast to his policy of refraining from comment, whether on proposal, progress or pothole.

Neither veteran appears to be unaffordable, but the matter of longer terms does seem to be of issue, including some serious skepticism that a big commitment to Byfuglien through age 39 would be wise.

If agreements aren’t possible by the Feb. 29 trade deadline, expect Cheveldayoff to simply deal, since the Jets are in no position – given their consensus unattractiveness to free agents – to let either walk.

The Jets' approach seemed to be that a lot of effort can still go into the two months prior to the trade deadline.

Another element to the picture is some history.

As former GM of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, Cheveldayoff was a member of the Atlanta Thrashers family long enough to know how waiting too long resulted in a costly outcome for the franchise when it finally traded Ilya Kovalchuk in early 2010. He will be mindful of making the same error, especially since such mistakes have ramifications that ripple long into the future.

If all of that didn’t inject enough uncertainty into the Jets’ situation, then the Trouba situation will.

The 2012 first-rounder, who turns 22 in February, has reportedly put a big proposal on the table for the max eight years and more than $56 million. It appears to have been a non-starter for Winnipeg, due to the price or Trouba’s shaky start to the season, or both, and so the sides have reportedly decided to adjourn the matter to the off-season.

Former Jets Goaltender Expected To Miss Significant Time Once AgainFormer Jets Goaltender Expected To Miss Significant Time Once AgainFormer Winnipeg Jets backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit faces another lengthy absence with new injury.

If no bridge deal is found for Trouba, his raise will be substantial, possibly enough to make either Ladd or Byfuglien impossible to fit.

The math is fuzzy at this stage because none of the deals was yet done and the league’s cap for 2016-17 is not concrete. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said at the December GM meetings that the new number is projected to “be somewhere between where it is now and up $3 million, in that range.”

Could Trouba be moved? The interest would be high, but that scenario seems less likely than Ladd or Byfuglien given Trouba’s age and upside.

Beyond the trio, whose starting-point proposals totaled more than $152 million in commitments, Scheifele and Lowry in particular are poster players for the Jets draft-and-develop scheme. They both have earned raises, in bridge deals or not. Their increases figure to be less jolting in terms of headlines, but given their ages (22), both are integral figures in the culture and blueprint that Cheveldayoff is trying to execute.

The outcomes for Cheveldayoff and his pending free agents are very difficult to predict. The only easy call is that you won’t find the Jets in the race to the salary floor come next fall.

BULL OR BEAR MARKET?

Of the top 10 impending UFAs based on their 2015-16 cap hits, we see three getting pay bumps this summer, while the rest take a shave or get the same

ImageEarly Takeaways From Jets Training Camp: Groups, Players To Watch, Position BattlesEarly Takeaways From Jets Training Camp: Groups, Players To Watch, Position BattlesBreaking down the early takeaways of Winnipeg Jets Training Camp including storylines from each group, position battles to watch and prospects to keep an eye on.
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Mets force extras but allow deciding inside-the-park homer in 5-3 loss to Nationals

The Mets overcame early defensive miscues to send the game to extra innings, but allowed a two-run inside-the-park homer in the 11th to drop the middle of their three-game set to the Nationals, 5-3, on Saturday evening.

After New York scored twice in the ninth, Tyler Rogers could not keep the Nationals down in the 11th. After CJ Abrams made a bone-headed play to get called out at third base with no outs, Daylen Lile did the unthinkable. He launched the ball to Cedric Mullins in center, who got a bad break on the ball that kept carrying and ricocheted off the wall and trickled away from him. The speedy Lile came all the way around to score the home run and give the Nationals the two-run lead, and the eventual win after Mullins, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto went down 1-2-3. 

It's the first inside-the-park home run at Citi Field in eight years. The Mets are now 0-66 when trailing after eight innings this season.

Here are the takeaways...

-Nolan McLean walked James Wood to lead off the game and it came back to bite him after Josh Bell hit a one-out excuse-me single down the left field line that moved Wood to third. Lile's speed prevented the Mets from turning two to allow Wood to score.

Similar to Brandon Sproat's start in Friday's series opener, the Mets' defense betrayed McLean. After an infield single by Dylan Crews, Riley Adams hit a bloop single to left field thatSoto tried to play on a bounce, but it skipped over his glove and rolled to the wall, allowing Crews to score. Brady House then hit a grounder to Pete Alonso, but his toss to McLean at first was high, allowing House to reach safely on the second Mets error of the inning. McLean, however, bounced back, striking out Nasim Nunez and Wood. McLean was one strike away from gettingAbrams, but he threw a wild pitch to allow Adams to scamper home, before the inning mercifully ended on a groundout.

Sloppy fielding behind him aside, McLean gave the Mets five solid innings but left on the long side of the ledger. He tossed 92 pitches (59 strikes), allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out six. He now has a 1.27 ERA in his first seven big league starts.

-The defensive miscues weren't just for the Mets. In the third, the Nationals made two errors, one on a poor throw to first and one on a catcher's interference. But the Mets couldn't take advantage thanks to a nice play by Nunez, who made an over-the-shoulder catch sliding into shallow left field. Lindor and Soto read the ball was going to drop in, but Nunez rushed the throw to first base, trying to double up Soto and threw it away, but neither could advance because of how far both players were. Brandon Nimmo grounded out to end the Mets' threat.

The Mets had trouble getting any runs on starter Cade Cavalli, but they had their chances. Aside from the missed opportunity in the third, they had runners on first and second in the fifth for Alonso, but the slugger flew out.

Even getting to the much-maligned Nationals bullpen was a chore early on. After getting just one baserunner in the sixth and seventh, the Mets finally got on the board against the Nats' closer, Jose Ferrer, in the eighth. Alonso reached after getting plunked with one out, and Starling Marte's double put runners on second and third with two outs. Carlos Mendoza had Mark Vientos pinch-hit for Jeff McNeil, and Vientos rewarded his manager by fighting back from an 0-2 count and lacing a two-run double down the left field line. Francisco Alvarez struck out swinging to end the threat.

In the ninth, Mendoza pinch-hit Luis Torrens for Brett Baty against the lefty Ferrer to lead off and the backup catcher hit a single. Mullins bunted Jose Siri -- pinch-running for Torrens -- to second before Ferrer hit Lindor in the foot to put two runners on for Soto. Soto dunked a single into shallow center to tie the game at 3-3. After Lindor and Soto pulled off the double steal, the Nats walked Alonso intentionally to load the bases and play for the double play. Nimmo struck out swinging, leaving it up to Marte. The veteran slugger struck out swinging also, sending the game into extras.

-The Mets' bullpen was great for the second straight game. In relief of McLean, three relievers got the final 12 outs before extra innings. Here's how it broke down:

  • Huascar Brazoban: 1.2 IP, 1 K (a nice bounceback after allowing two runs in Friday's game)
  • Richard Lovelady: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K (Lovelady was called up before Saturday's game)
  • Ryan Helsley: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K (Helsley walked the leadoff hitter, but struck out the next two batters before Alvarez got Crews trying to steal second)

In the 10th, Edwin Diaz got Nunez to pop up on a bunt attempt before getting Wood to ground out and striking out Abrams, setting up the Mets in the bottom half of the inning. Luisangel Acuña led off with a bunt attempt that popped up in front of the catcher, but Adams could not come up with the catch, allowing Acuña to reach safely. The Nats argued Acuña interfered with Adams, but the umps did not agree. Alvarez could not come through, hitting a double play as Ronny Mauricio came up with two outs and Marte -- the free runner -- on third. Mauricio hit a liner to left field but right at Wood for the third out.

Game MVP: Daylen Lile

After so many baserunning blunders in this one, Lile's speed and aggressiveness was the difference in this one.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets play their final home game of the regular season in a Sunday matinee. First pitch is set for 1:40 p.m.

Sean Manaea (2-3, 5.40 ERA) will start the game with Clay Holmes relieving him, while the Nationals will send Jake Irvin (8-13, 5.76 ERA) to the mound.

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Thomson, Castellanos have ‘productive' meeting following commentary

Thomson, Castellanos have ‘productive' meeting following commentary originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

PHOENIX – After his two-hit, three RBI night in which he didn’t enter the game until the sixth inning, Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos explained his struggles with learning how to accept and prepare for his new role as a backup outfielder.

He also alluded to a communication problem between him and manager Rob Thomson, basically saying that the two rarely talk and expressed that it’s been that way for some time.

Saturday, the two met at Chase Field before the Phillies took on the Arizona Diamondbacks. The meeting didn’t change the fact that Castellanos will still be a spot starter for the time being, but there was communication.

“I met with him today and I thought it was really productive,” said Thomson. “I’m not going to get into specifics of what we talked about, but I thought it was good.”

Like Friday, Castellanos can still provide some offensive pop when called upon and he is hitting .323 (10-for-34) with eight RBIs in the month of September.

Thomson was asked if he believes Castellanos can still help the team in this new role. “Absolutely,” he said. “And like I said yesterday, at some point there’s a really good chance that he’s going to get hot. I think right now, if you look at the last month with all four of those outfielders, they were really productive. The job is to try and put them in the best spot to succeed and so far it’s been pretty good, as of late.

“I think he is getting more comfortable. As I’ve said all along, it’s a tough thing for a guy that’s played every day throughout the minor leagues, every day in his big-league career, to take this type of role. So, your routines change, your mindset changes a little bit. It takes a while. He’ll play tomorrow and Tuesday.”

Thomson is generally regarded as a player’s manager, one who is easy to communicate with. But with Castellanos’ comments on Friday, he feels he may have to make sure of it.

“As far as the communication part of it, not only Nick, if anybody else in that clubhouse doesn’t think that I’m communicating enough with them, I’m probably not and I’ve got to do a better job at it,” the manager said. “That’s just being accountable. But there’s two ways of communicating and that door is always open. I’m not a mind reader; I can’t tell the future and I’m not a mind reader. I urge players, I want players to come in here and tell me what’s on their mind. Obviously, I have to do a better job. If a guy’s frustrated, I want him to come in here.”

Trea Turner updates, final stretch coming up

All good on the rehabbing front when it comes to shortstop Trea Turner. He has amped up his workouts, Thomson said, to include running and cutting and change of directions stuff as he works to come back from a hamstring strain.

The lineup will change again when Turner returns to his leadoff spot. Thomson wouldn’t say exactly who will hit where, but he’s got some fun options with a team that is hitting so well of late.

The team finishes their road schedule for the season on Sunday against the Diamondbacks. They will have off Monday before finishing out the series with three games against the Miami Marlins and three more against the Minnesota Twins.

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Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge records first MLB hit against Dodgers

Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge records first MLB hit against Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After years of anticipation, top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge recorded his first MLB hit on Saturday night. And who better to do it against than San Francisco’s most bitter rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With the bases loaded in the first inning, Eldridge ripped a 2-1 fastball to the opposite field off Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow, driving in three runs and making a memory that will last a lifetime.

Eldridge went hitless in his first nine MLB at-bats, but had come close to breaking the seal on a few occasions earlier this week.

No. 10 turned out to be the magic number for Eldridge, who etched his name into one of baseball’s most storied rivalries for the first time on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

The 6-foot-7 slugger was called up for San Francisco’s final late-season push after impressing at all levels of the minor leagues during the 2025 campaign.

Eldridge smacked 18 home runs in 66 games for the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate Sacramento River Cats, and has flashed that immense power grade on a handful of occasions in his first week at the game’s highest level.

While the Giants’ postseason hopes are fading fast, Eldridge represents hope for the future, and a strong performance to end the 2025 MLB season could force San Francisco’s hand in making the 20-year-old a fixture on the big-league roster next spring.]

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