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The day Terry Collins stood up for Dave Parker

Naturally, Terry Collins remembers playing with Dave Parker.

How could anyone not?

Parker was electricity incarnate, a 21-year-old budding superstar patrolling center field for the 1972 Salem Pirates of the Carolina League and honing the five tools that would eventually propel him into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

But Parker, who died on Saturday at age 74, carried through life an even stronger memory of Collins, a scrappy infielder on that club who would go on to become the longest-tenured manager in the history of the New York Mets.

Parker’s 2021 memoir Cobra: A Life of Baseball and Brotherhood (written with Dave Jordan), contains this anecdote about an experience that year with Collins, 23 at the time, and another teammate, Ron “Satch” Mitchell:

“After a day game, me and Satch were walking through Salem with Terry Collins, that feisty, skinny kid from up north. He generally didn’t look for trouble, but he wasn’t afraid of it, either. We just wanted a quick meal without going all the way back to Roanoke. As we made our way through town, these young men -- they were both actually pretty tall - sitting outside a general store yelled over, ‘You two don’t belong here.’

I wasn’t in the mood for a fight, and neither was Satch. But that didn’t stop Terry.

“What the hell does that mean? Ol’ Collins got right in their faces.

“I’m from Michigan! People don’t talk to other people like that!”

“I ain’t talkin’ to you. We’re talking to Leroy over there.”

Back then “Leroy” was the name racists used when they were tired of the N-word.

“You’re talkin’ to me now, and if I ever --”

At this point, Satch quietly dragged Terry away from the guys. Collins sure had some balls on him. What a good dude.”

Reached by telephone on Monday from his home in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Collins said that he had not read the passage in Parker’s book. But he remembered the incident well.

“I was appalled by what I heard,” Collins said. “I had heard stories about how [Black players] were treated in the Carolina League, but to see it in person -- I was shocked. Plus, Dave was my friend. He was my teammate.”

Collins remembers that Parker told him that he was crazy, and that the men probably had guns in their store. But Collins was the guy who won the Pirates “Red Ass of the Year” Award in ‘72. That honor came with a trophy of a donkey. He was not going to allow a few menacing racists to speak to his friend that way.

More than half a century later, Collins remains in awe of Parker’s talent.

“He could fly,” Collins said. “And I saw him hit a line drive off a pitcher’s shoulder, and that guy never pitched again. From then on guys would flinch when they threw the ball to him.”

The following year, Parker jumped from A-ball to Triple-A to the big leagues. He and Collins remained in touch.

In 1997, when the Anaheim Angels named Collins manager, Collins received a call from his friend Tony La Russa. La Russa was managing the St. Louis Cardinals and had earlier won a World Series in Oakland with Parker on his roster.

“Do yourself a favor and hire Dave Parker [as a coach],” La Russa said, unaware that the two had once played together. “He’s the best clubhouse guy I’ve ever had. I would hire him myself if I had room.”

Collins loved the idea, and made Parker his first base and outfield coach. The following year, La Russa brought Parker to St. Louis as his hitting instructor.

Parker and Collins remained in loose contact for a few years, then mostly lost track of one another -- with the exception of a time when Collins’ Mets were playing in Cincinnati, where Parker lived. Parker made a point to come to the ballpark to say hello to his old buddy.

“He was a fun-loving guy with a great sense of humor,” Collins said. “He was a great dude, just a good guy. And he had tools up the ass.”

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There Reportedly Aren't Expected To be Issues Regarding Will Cuylle’s Potential Contract Extension With Rangers

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

With the Free Agent Frenzy less than 24 hours away, Will Cuylle and the Rangers still have not agreed to a contract extension. 

This means that Will Cuylle could become a restricted free agent on Tuesday with the risk of another team giving him an offer sheet. 

There’s now concern the Rangers could possibly lose Cuylle, but reportedly there isn’t much to be afraid of. 

According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, there aren’t expected to be any issues regarding Will Cuylle’s potential contract extension with the Rangers. 

The Athletic’s Peter Baugh reported that the Rangers have already been in talks with Cuylle about a potential contract extension.

It’s unclear how far negotiations have gone between the two sides and if they are close to finalizing a new deal. 

What’s the hold-up? It’s certainly strange that Cuylle remains unsigned at this point in time and there’s no real explanation for it. 

There's Pressure On The Rangers To Finalize A Contract Extension With Will Cuylle Before The Unthinkable Happens There's Pressure On The Rangers To Finalize A Contract Extension With Will Cuylle Before The Unthinkable Happens There’s one upcoming restricted free agent on the New York Rangers that’s flying under the radar, but still needs to be signed. 

However, it would be hard to imagine the Rangers letting a 23-year-old leave who’s only beginning to blossom into a promising forward with an exponential amount of potential.

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New York Islanders Sign Defenseman Alexander Romanov To Eight-Year Extension

In the wake of the Noah Dobson sign-and-trade with the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Islanders are signing defenseman Alexander Romanov to an eight-year contract extension.

The extension will pay Romanov an average annual value of $6.25 million and will run through the 2032-33 season.

With the sign and trade of the Islanders' former No. 1 defenseman, Dobson, to the Canadiens on Friday, the 25-year-old Romanov is now the team's highest-paid defenseman, just ahead of 30-year-old Ryan Pulock, who makes $6.15-million per season. The deal is also a sizeable increase on the Russian's previous deal, which paid him $2.5-million per season.

Last season, Romanov put up 16 assists and 20 points in 64 games with the Islanders, and while those numbers are on par with his other two seasons with New York, it is worth noting that Romanov was plagued with injuries during the first half of the 2024-25 season.

The young D-man has played in 354 career NHL games with the Islanders and Canadiens, and in that span, Romanov has 17 goals and 66 assists for 83 points. He’s added two points (one goal, one assist) in 13 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Romanov was initially drafted by Montreal in the second round with the 38th-overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft. He spent two seasons with the Canadiens before being traded to the Islanders during the 2022 off-season for a first-round pick.

Alexander Romanov (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

In his most recent season, Romanov averaged the most playing time of his career thus far, averaging 22:18 of ice time. And with the exit of Dobson, his role may increase even more as he starts his new deal this coming season.

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Warriors face tall task filling Kevon Looney's void as center search intensifies

Warriors face tall task filling Kevon Looney's void as center search intensifies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The first two times Kevon Looney reached the doorstep of unrestricted free agency, the Warriors would succumb to reason and invite him back.

Not so on the third time he reached that doorstep.

A little more than an hour after becoming an unrestricted free agent Monday afternoon, Looney reportedly reached an agreement on a two-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans valued at $16 million. The veteran big man made $8 million last season with Golden State and was staring at the prospect of a steep pay cut if he were to return.

Sheer finances took Looney, 29, away from the only NBA team he’d ever known, the franchise that drafted him in 2015 (first round, No. 30 overall), hoping to get a few good years from a 6-foot-9, 230-pound youngster whose hips would require multiple surgeries.

The Warriors earned three rings during Looney’s time with the team: 2017 (inactive), 2018 and 2022. He was crucial to the ’22 championship, which came after Golden State defeated the Boston Celtics in six games. Looney’s work that postseason – averaging 14.1 rebounds per 36 minutes – boosted him from a popular reserve to a cult figure among the fan base.

The Warriors will have to look elsewhere for a high-character, low-maintenance individual who was a superior rebounder, had a knack for meeting the requests of coach Steve Kerr and understood how to best accompany the skills and rhythms of stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

“He’s our moral compass,” Kerr often said of Looney.

They won’t find a center with his institutional knowledge. The new guy, and there will be one any minute now, will have to study and learn on the fly. Whomever he is might want to begin by watching video of Looney.

It won’t be Clint Capela, the Atlanta Hawks free agent who plans to return to the Houston Rockets on a three-year contract worth $21.5 million. It won’t be Brook Lopez, the Milwaukee Bucks free agent who plans to sign a two-year contract worth $18 million with the Los Angeles Clippers. It won’t be young Luke Kornet, who plans to leave the Boston Celtics for the San Antonio Spurs on a four-year deal worth $41 million.

The Warriors are not surprised by Looney’s departure – he rejoins New Orleans coach Willie Green, who spent three seasons (2016-19) as an assistant with Golden State – but it surely intensifies their search for at least one and perhaps two men capable of playing center in their system.

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Duane Kuiper makes hilariously wild promise if Giants can sweep Diamondbacks

Duane Kuiper makes hilariously wild promise if Giants can sweep Diamondbacks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants aren’t playing their best baseball at the moment, but legendary broadcaster Duane Kuiper might have just given them some extra motivation as they begin a four-game series against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

Should San Francisco pull off a sweep at Chase Field, NBC Sports Bay Area analyst and former Giants pitcher Sergio Romo suggested Hunter Pence jump into the stadium’s famed swimming pool. But then Kuiper took it one step further, promised to take a dip wearing … a leather thong?

There’s no telling if Kuiper actually owns one of those, but it certainly would be a hilarious sight. But after the Giants went 1-5 against the Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox this week, the team will need to figure out some issues if they want to complete a sweep.

If San Francisco does take all four games in Arizona, we hope someone holds Kuiper to his bet.

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Flyers development camp 2025 schedule and roster

Flyers development camp 2025 schedule and roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers open 2025 development camp Wednesday morning in Voorhees, New Jersey.

The team’s annual summer gathering of prospects will consist of four on-ice days. It wraps up Sunday night with a 5-on-5 scrimmage, which always attracts a crowd at Flyers Training Center.

The camp is free and open to the public. Fans can watch along the boards from certain areas or in the stands.

Porter Martone, who the Flyers just selected at sixth overall in the NHL draft, will be the headliner of camp.

“Just the whole, complete package there as far as his size, his skill, hockey sense, he has got juice, he’s always engaged around the net, he’s always stirring it up and driving people crazy,” Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said last Saturday. “So he has got that edge, but more importantly, his skill set is high end when it comes to offense. His ability on the power play to break things down and create things and see things that a lot of guys can’t. … He was just too talented to pass up at that point.”

Below are the camp details.

Schedule

Roster

2025 draft class

• Flyers take Martone at No. 6 to kick off their NHL draft 2025

• Flyers trade up in first round, grab rising center at No. 12

• Flyers open second round of NHL draft 2025 with 6-foot-6 defenseman

• Flyers add a U.S. forward with some positional versatility in second round

• Busy second round continues with a teammate of a Flyers prospect

• Flyers grab another big center to wrap up four picks in second round

• Finnish winger who made impressive second-half climb goes to Flyers in fifth round

• Flyers draft 6-foot-4, righty-shot defenseman in fifth round

• Flyers close out their NHL draft 2025 class with a sixth-round center

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Vancouver Re-Signs Canucks Guillaume Brisebois To One-Year Contract

The Vancouver Canucks' fourth signing of the day is Guillaume Brisebois, who they inked to a one-year, two-way deal. Brisebois' signing comes at the same time as fellow Abbotsford Canucks teammates Arshdeep Bains, Aatu Räty, and Max Sasson. The defenceman is one of the Canucks organization's longest-tenured players, as he has been with the team since being drafted in 2015. 

“Guillaume played a big role and was a key contributor with Abbotsford during our Calder Cup winning run,” said Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin. “His leadership and poise on the ice helped our group a lot during the AHL playoffs, and we are happy to have him back in the fold for another season. Guillaume will add to our organizational depth on the backend.”

As mentioned, Brisebois was drafted by the Canucks 66th overall in 2015 and has remained a consistent presence on the organization's back-end in both the AHL and the NHL. Often called up as a depth defender, Brisebois has seen playing time with both Vancouver, Abbotsford, and the Canucks' former AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. He made his NHL debut back in 2019 and has racked up a career total of 30 NHL games played. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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Brisebois was a big part of Abbotsford's Calder Cup victory this past season, as he was a reliable presence on their blueline and tallied two goals and an assist in all 24 games played. 

Dec 28, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Guillaume Brisebois (55) shoots during warm up prior to a game against the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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Why Bruins should pursue Nikolaj Ehlers on Day 1 of NHL free agency

Why Bruins should pursue Nikolaj Ehlers on Day 1 of NHL free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have taken care of most of their own free agents, including a flurry of new contracts over the last couple days.

The most notable deal was a six-year, $33 million contract for restricted free agent forward Morgan Geekie. Finding common ground with Geekie was important for the Bruins considering their lack of scoring depth. Geekie scored 33 goals last season — the second-most on the B’s behind David Pastrnak.

But the Bruins aren’t going to significantly improve offensively on internal development alone. Outside reinforcements are needed. The trade market is the best place for the Bruins to acquire a top-six forward. And the Bruins have several good prospects and future draft picks to dangle in potential trades.

The 2025 free agent class isn’t very strong — especially with Mitch Marner and Brad Marchand already off the board — but there are some impact forwards worth targeting, and one that fits what the Bruins need is Nikolaj Ehlers.

He was the Winnipeg Jets’ first-round pick in 2014 (No. 9 overall) and has played for them ever since.

The 29-year-old left wing has been one of the most consistent goal scorers in the league during his Jets career. He has tallied 20-plus goals in seven of the last nine seasons, and the two years he didn’t were 2020-21 (COVID-shortened year) and 2022-23 (missed a bunch of games due to injury).

Ehlers tallied 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games last season.

He was fantastic on the power play, too, posting six goals and 16 assists with the man advantage. He would be a nice addition to the Bruins’ power-play, which ranked 29th out of 32 teams with a 15.2 percent success rate in 2024-25.

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Ehlers is more than a goal scorer. He’s a pretty good playmaker, too. He has tallied 30-plus assists five times, including each of the last two seasons. The Bruins don’t have any elite playmaking centers, so it would help to have wingers capable of consistently creating scoring chances for teammates. Ehlers fits that description.

One concern with Ehlers is durability. He missed 20 games in 2021-22, 37 games in 2022-23, none in 2023-24 and 13 games last season.

Signing him could use up most of the Bruins’ remaining salary cap space. The Bruins have about $12.7 million in cap space right now, per PuckPedia, and The Athletic projects Ehlers could get a contract in the range of six years and $8.1 million per season.

Ehlers is a legitimate top-six forward in the prime of his career. If the Bruins want to get back in the playoff mix as soon as next season, it would make sense to pursue Ehlers when the free agent market opens Tuesday at noon ET.

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Vancouver Canucks Re-Sign Aatu Räty To A Two-Year Contract

The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed center Aatu Räty to a two-year contract extension. The deal will carry an AAV of $775,000 and will keep the 22-year-old in Vancouver until the end of the 2026-27 season. Räty was scheduled to become a restricted free agent after wrapping up his entry-level contract. 

In a statement, GM Patrik Allvin wrote, "Aatu had a strong year in Abbotsford and also showed some promise when being called up to the NHL. It was another good step in his development as he continues to learn and grow as a pro. We expect him to have a good summer and come to training camp in September ready to compete for a job in Vancouver."

Räty set a new career high this season with 33 games played at the NHL level. The left-shot center scored seven goals while recording 11 points. Räty was also strong in the faceoff dot, winning 57.7% of his draws. 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

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Meet The Vancouver Canucks 2025 Development Camp Invitees

As for his time in the AHL, Räty played 43 regular season games with the Abbotsford Canucks recording 40 points. He also played six games in the post-season before suffering an injury. Räty will be competing for a full-time spot on the NHL roster and is a front-runner for a spot in the bottom six. 

Apr 6, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Aatu Raty (54) celebrates his goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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Jordan Poole jubilantly welcomes ex-Warriors teammate Kevon Looney to Pelicans

Jordan Poole jubilantly welcomes ex-Warriors teammate Kevon Looney to Pelicans originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With center Kevon Looney reportedly agreeing to a free-agent contract with the Pelicans, a pair of ex-Warriors teammates will be reuniting in New Orleans.

On Monday, former Golden State guard Jordan Poole posted an excited message on social media after news broke of Looney’s agreement.

“OMG!!! It’s so lit,” Poole wrote on his Instagram story, along with some excited emojis.

The two Milwaukee natives played together for Golden State from 2019 to 2023 and were pivotal keys to the Warriors’ title-winning squad in 2021-22.

Looney’s contract is worth $16 million over two years, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported, as the veteran center is set to depart after 10 seasons in the Bay Area.

On June 24, Charania reported the Pelicans’ acquisition of Poole from the Washington Wizards in a trade that sends guard CJ McCollum and forward Kelly Olynyk to the nation’s capital.

Though New Orleans struggled mightily with a 21-61 record last season, the team clearly hopes these former Warriors can help turn things around.

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MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers back on top, Astros dominate in June

Featured in this week’s Power Rankings, Tarik Skubal shows out, the Astros are back among the game’s elite teams, Sonny Gray throws a super-charged Maddux, the Guardians' bats are having a historically-bad June, James Wood gets the Barry Bonds treatment, and the Marlins are unstoppable.

(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)

Let’s get started!

Syndication: Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Jurickson Profar returns, Jacob Lopez is on a heater
Eric Samulski breaks down some of the top waiver wire adds for the upcoming week of fantasy baseball

Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, June 30.

1) Dodgers ⬆️

Last week: 2

It’s been a little while, but the Dodgers have reclaimed the top spot in our rankings. Max Muncy has been one of the best hitters in the majors since he began wearing glasses on April 30 to address an astigmatism, batting .296/.422/.593 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI over 51 games. Somebody get this man a Warby Parker endorsement deal.

2) Tigers ⬇️

Last week: 1

It was pretty cool to see the Tigers featured on Sunday Night Baseball this week. Tarik Skubal was obviously amped up for the occasion, as he struck out eight batters (including seven in a row) through the first three innings against the Twins. He ended up fanning 13 batters while allowing just one hit over seven scoreless frames. He’s on another level right now.

3) Astros ⬆️

Last week: 7

The Astros were No. 11 in the June 2 edition of MLB Power Rankings, but they’ve climbed into the top-three with an MLB-best 19 wins this month. Rookie outfielder Cam Smith has found his comfort zone of late with four homers and 15 RBI with a .342/.398/.566 batting line over his past 20 games. The club has to hope that Jeremy Peña’s fracture rib won’t keep him out for long.

4) Cubs

Last week: 4

Great sign for the Cubs last Thursday, as Shota Imanaga blanked the Cardinals with five-innings of one-hit ball in his return from a hamstring injury. The southpaw now holds a 2.83 ERA across his first 38 starts in the majors.

5) Phillies ⬇️

Last week: 3

The Phillies’ rotation has featured some excellent pitchers in recent years, but what Ranger Suárez is doing right now outshines them all. With another gem against the Braves on Sunday, he’s now posted a 1.19 ERA over his last 10 starts. That’s the lowest by a Phillies starter over a 10-game stretch since Cliff Lee put up a 0.93 ERA over 10 starts to finish the 2011 regular season.

6) Yankees ⬇️

Last week: 5

The Yankees’ lineup continues to be boom or bust at times, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been locked in since returning from the injured list on June 3. Including a four-RBI game in Sunday’s win over the Athletics, Chisholm is hitting .318/.379/.600 with six homers, 18 RBI, four steals, and 14 runs scored in that timespan.

7) Rays ⬆️

Last week: 9

Maybe it's the Ken Griffey Jr. nostalgia in me, still something special about seeing a player hit a home run to the warehouse at Camden Yards. This one from Jonathan Aranda in Saturday’s rout against the Orioles traveled 467 feet, the third-longest home run by a Rays player in the Statcast era. Just another accomplishment on his resume this season as All-Star selections approach.

8) Brewers ⬆️

Last week: 11

Joey Ortiz has struggled miserably out of the gate this season, but he’s turned the corner in a huge way recently with three homers, 11 RBI, and a .326/.354/.522 batting line over his last 11 games. He had just two home runs over his previous 70 games this season.

9) Cardinals ⬆️

Last week: 13

Sonny Gray needed just 89 pitches to complete a one-hit shutout — with 11 strikeouts and no walks — against the Guardians on Friday night. While a “Maddux” is all well and good, but even cooler for Gray was that it was his first shutout in nearly 10 years.

10) Mets ⬇️

Last week: 6

The Mets have lost 13 out of their last 16 games and were outscored 30-4 while being swept by the Pirates this past weekend. Tenth might be too high given their pitching struggles/injuries and ice cold offense.

11) Padres ⬆️

Last week: 10

All the talent on the Padres and would you believe that Gavin Sheets leads the team in RBI? It’s true. Sheets was in the middle of everything in Saturday’s win over the Reds; he went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer, two doubles, and this excellent catch in left field.

A great victory for Padres general manager A.J. Preller.

12) Giants ⬇️

Last week: 8

Bad times. After being swept by the Marlins, the Giants went on to lose two out of three to the White Sox over the weekend. The Giants are now 4-8 since the Rafael Devers trade.

13) Blue Jays

Last week: 12 ⬇️

The Blue Jays sit three games behind the Yankees for first-place in the AL East going into a four-game series at Rogers Centre to begin the week. It doesn’t get bigger than this in late June/early July.

14) Reds ⬆️

Last week: 17

In the same game where Nick Martinez came within three outs of a no-hitter, Spencer Steer put up a three-homer game Friday against the Padres. Bothered by a lingering shoulder issue during spring training, Steer endured a rough start to the season, but he’s hitting .442 (19-for-43) over his last 11 games.

15) Mariners

Last week: 14

Cal Raleigh’s first half has already been a great story, but it has a chance to get even better at the Home Run Derby next month. Cal’s dad, Todd, is expected to throw to him and the hope is that his younger brother, Todd Jr., will serve as the catcher for the festivities. Sure, Ronald Acuña Jr. will be the hometown hero in this one, but how can you root against this?

16) Rangers ⬆️

Last week: 20

The Rangers continue to hover around the .500 mark, which has basically been their life dating back to late April. At least there’s room for positivity within the starting rotation. Jacob deGrom is coming off a no-hit bid, Nathan Eovaldi is back from the injured list, and Kumar Rocker has enjoyed the best three-start stretch of his young career.

17) Diamondbacks ⬆️

Last week: 19

The Diamondbacks blew a four-run lead on Sunday while getting swept by the Marlins. The bullpen has been a sore spot, as they rank 28th in the majors with a 5.22 ERA.

18) Angels ⬆️

Last week: 23

Jo Adell has finally arrived? The 26-year-old is tied with Juan Soto for the MLB lead with 11 home runs this month. He’s cut down on his strikeouts and is showing an uptick in barrels and average exit velocity, so there’s plenty to like here. In fantasy baseball, this is what we call a post-post-post hype breakout.

19) Braves ⬇️

Last week: 16

For the Braves, it has routinely been one step forward and two steps back. Are they running out of time? In theory, there’s a boost for the offense on the way, as Jurickson Profar is set to make his return on Tuesday from his 80-game PED suspension.

20) Red Sox ⬇️

Last week: 15

Saturday’s 15-run explosion is more of the exception since the Rafael Devers trade. The Red Sox are hitting .215 with a .656 OPS since the trade. Oddly enough, the Giants have the same batting average and OPS during that time.

21) Guardians ⬇️

Last week: 18

The Guardians have hit just .206 in the month of June. According to the Associated Press, that’s the third-worst batting average in franchise history for a month with at least 13 games played.

22) Twins

Last week: 22

The Twins’ bullpen somehow has a 6.80 ERA this month. Nobody will be happier to see that calendar flip to July on Tuesday.

23) Royals ⬇️

Last week: 21

The Royals snapped an 11-game home losing streak (and a six-game losing streak overall) in Saturday’s victory over the Dodgers. The Royals have lost 17 games this month, their worst month since August of 2023.

24) Marlins ⬆️

Last week: 27

The hottest team in baseball is…the Marlins? Thanks to a five-run eighth inning against the Diamondbacks on Sunday, the Marlins have won seven straight games. Rookie slugger Agustín Ramírez continues to be a force and Edward Cabrera is delivering on the promise he’s shown in the past.

25) Pirates ⬆️

Last week: 28

How dominant was the Pirates’ three-game sweep over the Mets over the weekend? We’re talking something that hasn’t happened for the Pirates in 90 years kind of dominance.

R.I.P. Dave Parker

26) Orioles ⬇️

Last week: 24

It’s always eyebrow-raising to see a team score 22 runs, as the Orioles did on Friday night. But it’s even more interesting that the Rays held a 6-0 lead in the second inning. How many O's fans do you think turned off that game early?

27) Nationals ⬇️

Last week: 25

This year has spiraled out of control for the Nationals, but there’s already immense respect being shown to 22-year-old slugger James Wood. The Angels gave him four intentional walks on Sunday.

28) Athletics ⬇️

Last week: 26

Has Luis Severino been traded yet? What about now? Severino hasn’t been shy about his thoughts about playing in Sacramento. And while he got crushed at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, he has seen much better results at home than at Sutter Health Park. It’s a tricky spot given the three-year, $67 million deal (largest guaranteed free agent deal in franchise history) he signed with the A’s this past offseason, but it sounds like an untenable situation.

29) White Sox

Last week: 29

Signed in May, Adrian Houser has turned into a nifty little trade chip for the White Sox. The 32-year-old has reeled off a 1.90 ERA over his first seven starts with the club, including seven scoreless frames against the Giants on Saturday.

In other news, check out White Sox rookie Chase Meidroth going all Matrix to avoid this tag at second base on Sunday.

30) Rockies

Last week: 30

Marveling at Tyler Freeman’s month of June. He’s hitting .373 with a .478 on-base percentage and has struck out just four times in 92 plate appearances. One of those strikeouts came on Sunday and he was ejected (along with Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer) for his disapproval.

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Vancouver Canucks Re-Sign Arshdeep Bains To Two-Year Contract

The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed BC local Arshdeep Bains to a two-year contract that will keep him within the organization until the end of the 2026-27 season. According to PuckPedia, both years of the deal will pay $775,000. 

“Arshdeep had another solid season in Abbotsford as he continues to develop and mature,” said Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin in a statement. “His game found another gear late in the AHL playoffs when he stepped up and helped lead the way offensively with several big goals. Arsh is now familiar with our system and style of play, and we expect him to push hard for a spot in September.”

Bains was first acquired by the Canucks back in 2022 after Vancouver signed him to a three-year entry-level contract. He played 13 games with Vancouver in the 2024-25 season and made his NHL debut the season prior against the Colorado Avalanche. He scored his first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 26, 2024. 

Throughout this season, Bains has made a mark as one of the Abbotsford Canucks' most consistent forwards both offensively and defensively. He led Abbotsford in points during the 2024-25 regular season, scoring 11 goals and 32 assists in 50 games played. In the team's Calder Cup campaign, he finished second in scoring with seven goals and 17 assists in 24 games. All seven of his postseason tallies came within the final eight games of the playoffs. 

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Bains is not the only member of the Calder Cup-winning Abbotsford team to receive a new deal, as Max Sasson, Guillaume Brisebois, and Aatu Räty also agreed on extensions today. 

Oct 30, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Arshdeep Bains (13) skates during warm up prior to a game against the New Jersey Devils at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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Alexei Popyrin crashes out of Wimbledon after losing to world No 461

  • Much-fancied 20th seed suffers opening day upset

  • Jordan Thompson brightens gloom for Australian contingent

One of Australia’s biggest Wimbledon hopes, Alexei Popyrin, has crashed out of tournament to a British player ranked No.461 in the world while only a wonderful trademark comeback from Jordan Thompson could rescue a poor start for the Australian contingent on the sun-drenched grass-court grand slam.

Big-serving Popyrin, the 20th seed and the biggest Australian men’s hope beyond Alex de Minaur, tumbled out to French-born English wildcard Arthur Fery 6-4 6-1 4-6 6-4 in one of the biggest upsets of the opening Monday.

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