Mets signing RHP Zach Pop to major league deal: report

The Mets are signing another reliever to help their beleaguered bullpen.

According to FanSided's Roberty Murray, the Mets are signing right-hander Zach Pop to a major league contract.

Pop, 28, was recently designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners. The Canadian native appeared in four games for the Mariners this season, allowing nine runs (eight earned) across 5.1 innings pitched. He's pitched much better in the minors this season, allowing five runs (three earned) across 7.2 innings (nine appearances) with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate.

The news comes the same day the Mets placed Dedniel Núñez on the IL with an elbow strain that could result in Tommy John surgery. Signing Pop to a major league contract means room will need to be made on the Mets' 40-man roster. However, moving Nunez to the 60-day IL would open up a spot for Pop.

Ken Holland Quickly Put His Stamp On The Los Angeles Kings. Are They Now Better Than The Oilers?

Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland has been one of the busiest GMs in NHL free agency. 

The longtime NHL executive has only been on the job in L.A. since the middle of May, but Holland put his stamp on the Kings extremely quickly. 

That said, after a flurry of signings, has Holland made this team better? And specifically, has he made the Kings better than the team he left in June 2024 – the Edmonton Oilers?

If we’re being honest, we have to question some of Holland’s signings this summer. Re-signing left winger Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year, $4.3-million extension was a good gamble, given that Kuzmenko produced 11 goals and 37 points in 66 games this past season. The year before that, Kuzmenko posted 22 goals and 46 points in 72 games, and a show-me contract could see him put up even better numbers in 2025-26.

Holland also added two veteran right wingers with former Montreal Canadien Joel Armia and former Oiler Corey Perry. The two new Kings will count for a combined $4.5-million cap hit next season, although Perry’s deal is a performance-bonus-laden pact that could add another $2 million. Still, that’s a total the Kings should be happy to pay out.

The biggest issue for Holland that he failed to address so far is the Kings’ defense corps. L.A.’s group of blueliners took a major hit on July 1 when cornerstone veteran Vladislav Gavrikov left the Kings in favor of the New York Rangers. Gavrikov had a $5.875-million cap hit in Los Angeles for the past two seasons, and Holland had more than enough cap space to match or better the Rangers’ eventual offer of $7 million per campaign for the next seven years.  

However, rather than bring Gavrikov back, Holland opted for two veteran D-men: Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci. 

Dumoulin bounced between four teams since 2022-23 before signing with the Kings on a three-year deal worth $4 million per season. But the most curious signing was Ceci on a four-year deal worth $4.5 million per season.

Since 2021-22, 31-year-old Ceci has played on three different teams – the Oilers, San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars – and his totals on offense have been decidedly unimpressive. In 85 games this past season, Ceci had four goals and 24 points. Ceci is also hardly a defensive shutdown menace. Why did Holland give him a big-money, long-term deal? It’s mind-boggling.

Adrian Kempe and Cody Ceci (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

So, when you compare Holland’s new-look Kings to the Oilers, you have to come to the conclusion that Edmonton is, on paper, still a better team than Los Angeles. 

The Oilers have two of the top five forwards in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They also have terrific depth up front, and their defense corps – with newly-signed star Evan Bouchard, rugged Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, Brett Kulak and Jake Walman filling out the top-three pairings – is better than the ‘D’ corps of the Kings.

If there is one area where L.A. has an advantage over the Oilers, it’s in net. 

The Kings have Stanley Cup-champion Darcy Kuemper as their starter, and Holland added a decent-enough backup with former Ottawa Senators veteran Anton Forsberg at the relatively cheap rate of $2.25 million. The Oilers, on the other hand, have the tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard – and many expect Edmonton GM Stan Bowman will break up that tandem via trade at some point this summer.

On the whole, though, we have to say we like Holland’s former team as a group more than we like his new-look Kings. But don’t get us wrong – we still see the Kings as a lock to make the playoffs in the relatively weak Pacific Division.

NHL Free Agency 2025: Six Losers So FarNHL Free Agency 2025: Six Losers So FarThe first day of the NHL’s 2025 free-agent frenzy is now in the books, and as is tradition on THN.com, we’re examining the winners and losers from the beginning of the free-agent period. 

Once again, Edmonton and Los Angeles could be facing each other in the first or second round of the 2026 playoffs. If that happens, and the lineups remain relatively the same as they are on July 3, we see the Kings losing to the Oilers for the fifth straight season. 

Who knows – stranger things could happen, and Holland’s changes could ultimately be enough for L.A. to avenge prior losses to Edmonton. But it’s just as likely, if not more likely, that McDavid and Draisaitl once again overwhelm the Kings’ defense and the Oilers send Los Angeles home for another long summer.

At that point, Holland’s imprint on the Kings should face intense scrutiny.

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Recapping What Teams Around The Pacific Division Did During The Opening Days Of 2025 Free Agency

The Pacific Division looks a lot different now than it did a week ago. Some of the Vancouver Canucks biggest rivals made intriguing signings in the opening days of free agency, which will impact how the division shapes up in 2025-26. Here is a recap of the moves made by teams in the Pacific Division at the start of 2025 free agency.

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks were able to land the top center available this season, as they signed Mikael Granlund to a three-year contract, which carries an AAV of $7 million. The Ducks also made a surprising move at the draft, trading John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings for Petr Mrazek, a second-round pick in the 2027 draft, a fourth-round pick in 2026, and a fourth-round selection in the 2026 draft. With the Granlund deal complete, the Ducks can now shift their focus to re-signing Mason McTavish, who is currently a restricted free agent. 

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames added some depth on July 1, signing Nick Cicek and Ivan Prosvetov to one-year contracts. Calgary also re-signed Joel Hanley and Morgan Frost to two-year extensions. Just like Vancouver, it appears that the Flames' 2025-26 roster will resemble the one they finished with last year. 

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers' big move this off-season was signing Evan Bouchard to a four-year extension, which carries an AAV of $10.5 million. Edmonton also added some scoring on the wing, signing Andrew Mangiapane to a two-year contract which carries an AAV of $3.6 million. Lastly, the Oilers added some depth to their roster, inking forward Curtis Lazar to a one-year deal, while bringing in defenceman Riley Stillman and goaltender Matt Tomkins on two-year contracts. 

L.A. Kings

The L.A. Kings made multiple splashes on July 1st, as they added plenty of experience to their roster. L.A. signed Corey Perry to a one-year contract, Joel Armia and Anton Forsberg to two-year deals, Brian Dumoulin to a three-year contract and finally, Cody Ceci to a four-year deal. Overall, the Kings were one of the most active teams once free agency opened up, as they signed nine contracts over the past three days. 

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San Jose Sharks

The San Jose Sharks have also been very active since the start of free agency. Some of their key signings include Philipp Kurashev and John Klingberg on one-year deals, as well as Adam Gaudette and Dmitry Orlov signing two-way contracts. San Jose also claimed Nick Leddy off waivers from the St. Louis Blues while buying out the contract of Marc-Edouard Vlasic. 

Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken have made two signings during the opening days of free agency. Seattle locked up Ryan Lindgren to a four-year contract while Matt Murray signed a one-year deal. Ultimately, the Kraken will be an interesting team as they could have one of the youngest rosters this season. 

Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights took a massive swing as they acquired Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs. In exchange for Marner, who signed an eight-year contract with an AAV of $12 million before being traded, Vegas sent Nicolas Roy to the Maple Leafs. Vegas was also able to re-sign Kaedan Korczak to a four-year contract extension while adding Jaycob Megna for the next two seasons. 

Nov 8, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) skates with the puck as Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) tries to defend during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

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The Hockey News

Flyers Letting Jakob Pelletier Go Was a Clear Mistake

Jakob Pelletier was a superb checking forward for the Flyers. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers have lost one of their most effective players from the end of this past season in Jakob Pelletier for no good reason.

Pelletier, 24, signed a three-year, $2.33 million ($775K AAV) contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning that will pay him league minimum in each of the three seasons.

With these kinds of players - former first-round picks who bounce around looking for opportunities - a three-year deal is very uncommon. Comparatively, the Flyers could have retained Pelletier on a one-year deal, at minimum, had they extended him a qualifying offer of $840k.

By failing to do so, the Flyers relinquished Pelletier's signing rights, and the fact that a team like Tampa Bay swooped in before sunrise on Day 2 of free agency to sign him for multiple years indicates Pelletier had value around the league, or at least to them.

Instead, the Flyers let him walk for free. The optics of that don't look great, considering Maxim Shabanov passed on the Flyers for the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

Plus, the team has known for a few weeks now that there is a possibility Tyson Foerster might not be available come opening night due to injury.

Yes, Pelletier is only 5-foot-11, and yes, he scored eight points in 25 games in Philadelphia, but he was actually much more effective than the raw stats indicate.

Pelletier played 16 games under John Tortorella after arriving via trade, posting an on-ice scoring chance percentage of 52.73% (58-52), trailing only Owen Tippett, Egor Zamula, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Erik Johnson, per Natural Stat Trick.

In terms of high-danger chance creation under Tortorella, Pelletier was the clubhouse leader at forward as the Orange and Black out-chanced opponents 21-15 (58.33%) with him on the ice.

Aleksei Kolosov Must Change Attitude Towards NHL, Legendary Coach SaysAleksei Kolosov Must Change Attitude Towards NHL, Legendary Coach SaysThe Philadelphia Flyers haven't fully given up on Aleksei Kolosov yet, but has Aleksei Kolosov given up on the Flyers?

Of the 14 players that played in 16 or more games from Pelletier's arrival to Tortorella's dismissal, Pelletier played the second-fewest minutes ahead of only Nick Deslauriers.

After Tortorella was dismissed by the Flyers with nine games to go in the regular season, Pelletier still played the least 5-on-5 ice time of the 15 skaters who played in all nine remaining games, but led the Flyers in scoring chance percentage (40-32, 55.56%) down that stretch.

Additionally, Pelletier was the only Flyers player to have a positive high-danger scoring chance differential (17-15, 53.13%) during this period. Defenseman Travis Sanheim was the only other Flyers skater to reach 50%.

This is all to say that the Flyers got the job done with Pelletier on the ice much more often than not and still chose to let him go for free despite having perceived value on the market.

In the wake of Foerster's injury and Shabanov's heel turn, the Flyers will now be forced to pivot towards unproven (but exciting, nonetheless) options like prospects Alex Bump, Porter Martone, and Nikita Grebenkin.

The NHL free agency market has been extremely unkind to buyers this summer, and the Flyers have paid the price after signing Christian Dvorak and Dan Vladar - literally.

It limits how high they can go on salary with RFA defenseman Cam York, it limits their ability to make injury call-ups if they suffer another injury in addition to Foerster given their unwavering desire to avoid using LTIR, and it limits their ability to further remedy the winger situation.

But an error or a misstep only becomes a mistake if it isn't learned from or fixed. The Flyers' next step from here will decide that.

Penguins Prospect Development Camp: Standouts From Day 1

Credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News

On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their annual Prospect Development Camp, which features 48 players both from the Penguins' system and outside of it.

And fans and media got their first glimpse at some of the new faces as well.

All 13 of the Penguins' new draftees took the ice for the first time in uniform - including first-round picks Ben Kindel, Bill Zonnon, and Will Horcoff - along with some development camp veterans. 

Other notable names on the camp roster include defensemen Harrison Brunicke and Emil Pieniniemi - as well as forwards Mikhail Ilyin and Melvin Fernstrom, who each played overseas last season. 

The players were split into three groups - Team Stevens, Team Patrick, and Team Johnston - with each of the three first-rounders being put into separate groups. There was a lot to like about what was shown by prospects on the camp's inaugural day, and - given where the Penguins are at organizationally - there is a ton of excitement surrounding this year's camp.

Here are three standouts from Day One:

Dubas May Have Sought Quantity In This Year's Draft. But That Doesn't Mean He Missed On Quality.Dubas May Have Sought Quantity In This Year's Draft. But That Doesn't Mean He Missed On Quality.In the aftermath of every NHL Draft, the analysis always comes due.

Harrison Brunicke

Penguins' top defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke. (Credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

Out of everyone today, the player who stood out most was Brunicke.

His skating is so incredibly smooth, his puckhandling skills were on display, and he led the way for his defensive group consisting of Chase Pietila, Kalle Kangas, and 2025 draftees Charlie Trethewey and Brady Peddle.

I found myself trying very hard not to compare him to everyone else. But, Brunicke looked like he didn't belong here in the very best way. He just looks miles ahead of everyone else on the blue line at this camp, and it's only Day One.

This kid should have a real shot at the NHL roster this season. And - as he told NHL.com's Wes Crosby - he is absolutely making it his goal this year to make the big leagues out of training camp.

"Oh yeah," he said in response to being asked about whether his personal goal is to crack the NHL roster.

Brunicke is going to be a player to watch throughout development camp, training camp, and for the years to come. The more I watch this kid, the more I think he is really going to translate into something special at the NHL level. And, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, he will also receive an invite to Team Canada's World Junior Summer Showcase, which features the best of the best Canadian junior prospects.

Speaking of juniors: I'm not entirely convinced that juniors would be the best thing for Brunicke's development next season. Some think he isn't ready for the NHL, and that's understandable. But there are a plethora of reasons why going back to Kamloops may be an even worse path. 

More to come on that later. Regardless, keep an eye on him, folks.


Bill Zonnon 

Penguins' 2025 22nd overall pick Bill Zonnon. (Credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

Fans are going to love Bill Zonnon.

First thing's first: His shot is more impressive than I realized. It really pops off his stick, and he seems to be able to pick his spots. I was also impressed with his tenacity, anticipation, and work ethic.

But the thing that stood out most to me is that he always seemed to be in the right place. He picked up on the drills, he adapted quicky, and he read and anticipated plays like the back of his hand while working with players he's never skated with before.

And - by all accounts - he seems like a very coachable player.

This comparison has been made elsewhere, but he reminds me a bit of Patric Hornqvist. Just like with everyone else today, the sample size was small, so getting carried away prematurely would be futile. But some of that feistiness, that competitive fire, and those scoring-area smarts that he is known for were on display.

I think this guy has real potential to become an impact middle-six player for the Penguins. His game looked pretty mature in comparison to his peers, so it will be interesting to see how that shakes out for the rest of camp.

Reaction: Penguins Select Forward Bill Zonnon With 22nd Overall PickReaction: Penguins Select Forward Bill Zonnon With 22nd Overall PickThe Pittsburgh Penguins have officially made their second of three first-round selections in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. 

Travis Hayes

Penguins' 2025 fourth-round pick Travis Hayes (front) battles for positioning at the net front. (Credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

Hayes - a 2025 fourth-round pick (105th overall) for the Penguins - stood out today, but not in quite the same way as the others. 

No, he wasn't skating circles around everyone like Brunicke was. No, he wasn't "wowing" with his shot and hockey smarts like Zonnon.

But he was getting physical and competing hard in front of the goaltender.

Hayes was abrasive, scrappy, and making use of his frame - at just 5-foot-11 - to gain positioning at the net front. Like Zonnon, you can see that competitive fire. But there was a little extra edge to Hayes's game. 

Penguins Forward Prospect Earns Entry-Level ContractPenguins Forward Prospect Earns Entry-Level Contract A potential key part of the Pittsburgh Penguins' future at the forward position earned himself a payday.

On several accounts, he plays the game pretty similarly to his brother, Avery, who has climbed his way up the prospect ranks after going undrafted and earned a two-year entry-level contract at the conclusion of last season. And, according to director of player development Tom Kostopoulos, more guys like Avery Hayes in the system - and his literal blood brother, nonetheless - is a really good thing for the Penguins.

"It's pretty impressive what Avery Hayes did since he signed his AHL contract, and he earned the NHL contract," Kostopoulos said. "We're talking to these kids about coachability, competitiveness, and work ethic, and when you think of those things, that's what Avery Hayes did.

"And getting to know his brother... I don't know how many of you watched him out there, but, man, I liked the competitiveness. He seemed to be able to understand what we're trying to tell him, and the compete is something that seems to be built into that family's DNA."

Family Reunion In Order As Penguins Select Brother Of Forward ProspectFamily Reunion In Order As Penguins Select Brother Of Forward ProspectThere appears to be a family reunion on the horizon for a pair of Pittsburgh Penguins prospects.

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Feature image credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News

Start of Thursday's Mets-Brewers game delayed due to impending weather

The start of Thursday's series finale between the Mets and Brewers at Citi Field will be delayed due to impending weather in the area, the team announced.

No new start time was announced at the time of the delay.

David Peterson (5-4, 3.30 ERA) is the Mets starter set to take the mound when the game begins. For the Brewers, it's former Met Jose Quintana (6-2, 3.30 ERA) as both teams look to take the rubber game of their three-game set.

This is the second game affected by the weather this week. Tuesday's game was postponed due to rain and was made up as a split-doubleheader on Wednesday. The Mets let a late lead slip away in Game 1 in their eventual 7-2 loss, but bounced back in the nightcap. A Brandon Nimmo grand slam set the tone for the Mets to win, 7-3, in game two to set up the pivotal third game of this series.

Manager Carlos Mendoza took Francisco Lindor out of the leadoff spot in Game 2 of the doubleheader and it paid off. The Mets skipper will keep Lindor in the two-hole on Thursday but will have a different leadoff hitter. After Nimmo led off last night, Mendoza has penciled in Starling Marte -- starting at DH -- to bat in the one-hole.

After Thursday's series finale, the Mets will welcome the Yankees for a three-game series for the final time this season.

Young players having key roles in Marlins’ surprising improvement

MIAMI — After Eury Pérez struck out his season-high seventh batter on Thursday, the 6-foot-8 Marlins right-hander pumped his fist and looked up at the stands at Miami’s loanDepot Park.

It was another win for the Marlins — their ninth in 10 games — and the first victory of the season for Pérez after returning last month from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him all of 2024.

Pérez allowed just one hit in six shutout innings against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, the longest start of his career and one of the most dominant. At just 22 years and 79 days old, Pérez is the youngest starter in the majors this season to complete at least six scoreless innings while allowing no more than one hit.

“One of the best outings of the year,” Pérez said through an interpreter. “That’s what we’ve been working for. I can see the results. I feel very happy for the outcome. I feel great, healthy, and we will continue to keep working for more outings like that.”

Thursday’s 4-1 win gave the Marlins their fourth straight series victory going back to June 20. During that span, Miami won series at home against the Twins and Braves, as well as on the road against San Francisco and Arizona.

The Marlins also went on an eight-game winning streak for the first time since 2008 during that 12-game stretch. That winning streak was snapped in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the Twins, but Miami’s 10 wins overall during the frame were the most in the league.

“Very happy with the way we’ve been playing this recent stretch,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “And even going back before the winning streak ... our strike throwing as a whole has trended up, and that’s made a big difference. The at-bat quality, the plan guys are taking into the box, being able to string at-bats together. They’ve continued to get better and better in their belief in that. And finally, the defense that we’ve played as a whole for me has been a lot better, a lot cleaner.”

This season was meant to be a continuation of Miami’s rebuild under President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix, who replaced most pieces from year’s 100-loss team and hired McCullough to lead an overhauled roster of prospects and mostly unknown players.

What was supposed to be a year solely focused on finding which one of Miami’s young additions would be key pieces to build around has brought forth a gritty squad that has far exceeded expectations.

Miami is 39-46 entering a three-game series against Milwaukee, the final series of a six-game homestand. Entering Thursday night, the Marlins have the same record as the Braves for third place in the NL East.

McCullough indicated that the team’s place in the standings isn’t necessarily as important as continuing to string together quality wins.

“Where we are right now, record-wise, who’s in front, behind,” he said, “less concerned with that, and just very pleased and proud of how we’ve played baseball. If we continue to play this brand, this style of clean baseball, then we’re going to continue to win games.”

Miami has gotten key contributions all over its lineup, from outfielder Kyle Stowers and second baseman Xavier Edwards to rookie catcher/designated hitter Agustín Ramírez, who was one of the top prospects acquired when Miami traded star Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees last summer.

Stowers entered Thursday on a nine-game hitting streak and in the middle of his second 10-plus game on-base streak of the season.

Ramírez’s impressive rookie season has included a six-game hitting streak last month and the MLB lead among rookies in extra-base hits (29). The 23-year-old hit a two-run homer in the first inning Thursday, giving him 13 on the season, which also leads all MLB rookies.

“I think since I got here, the team, we were doing things the right way,” Ramírez said through an interpreter. “The coach is doing an excellent job. We were doing a great job as well. It’s just the results were not there. ... But I think what’s going on now is that we were steady with our plan and things are coming up the right way now.”

Ramírez added that there are some aspects of being underdogs that fuel this Marlins team. Miami has the lowest payroll in baseball and has lost 80-plus games in four of the past seven seasons.

“It does feel good that we are working really hard,” he said. “We’re trying our best. And now with these outcomes, we can show everybody the results of that.”

Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez’s setback not as serious as first feared, GM says

DENVER — Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez’s setback to his recovery from a fractured right hand is not as serious as first feared, general manager Dana Brown said Thursday.

Alvarez, who suffered the injury on May 2, was shut down after experiencing pain in his right hand. He had taken some swings at the team’s spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday and when he arrived there on Tuesday the area was sore.

He was examined by a specialist, who determined inflammation was the issue and not a setback with the fracture.

“It had nothing to do with the fracture, or the fracture not being healed,” Brown said before Houston’s game at Colorado. “The fracture at this point is a non-factor, which we’re very glad about. And so during the process of him being examined by the specialist, we saw the inflammation, and Yordan did receive two shots in that area.”

Alvarez first experienced issues with his hand in late April but stayed in the lineup. He was initially diagnosed with a muscle strain but a small fracture was discovered at the end of May.

Brown said there has not been an update on the timetable for Alvarez’s return but said with the latest update it “could be in the near future.”

“Yordan is going to be in a position where he’s going to let rest and let the shot take effect, and then as long as he’s starting to feel better, we’ll put a bat in his hand before we start hitting, but we’ll just let him feel the bat feels like,” Brown said. “And then we’ll get into some swings in the near future, but I felt like it was encouraging news. Now, with this injection into the area that was inflamed, we feel a lot better.”

Alvarez, who averaged 34 home runs over the previous four seasons, has just three in 29 games this year and is batting .210. He was the 2021 ALCS MVP for the Astros and finished third in the AL MVP voting for 2022.

What we learned as Robbie Ray's dominant start fuels Giants' win over D-backs

What we learned as Robbie Ray's dominant start fuels Giants' win over D-backs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

PHOENIX — Bob Melvin shrugged and grimaced on Thursday afternoon when asked if Camilo Doval and Randy Rodriguez would be available for the series finale. The bullpen had to work hard in Wednesday’s extra-innings win, and Melvin knew he would have to get creative if he was protecting a lead a day later. 

Robbie Ray told his manager not to worry about it. 

Making his first start at Chase Field as a visitor, the left-hander was perfect until a solo homer from Eugenio Suarez in the fifth. That was one of just three hits from the Diamondbacks, as Ray led a dominant 7-2 win that secured a series split that seemed unlikely at multiple points this week. 

Ray cruised through the night, throwing just 57 pitches through six innings. He was at 78 after eight, allowing him to chase his first complete game since 2017, when he was a Diamondback. 

A soft groundout opened the ninth before Ketel Marte yanked a solo homer down the line. After a walk of Geraldo Perdomo, pitching coach J.P. Martinez came out for a mound meeting. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. popped the next pitch up and Ray struck out Eugenio Suarez to end the night.  

Ray Day = Win Day

Ray was likely in line to make his second All-Star team anyway, but you never know how things will shake out when MLB has to account for having one player from every team. His dominant start Thursday was well-timed, giving him one last push three days before teams are announced. Now, it should be a no-brainer. 

Ray finished the night ranked eighth in the NL in ERA and tied for fourth in innings. He is one of three National League pitchers with nine wins and the Giants are 14-4 in his starts. 

Back In Black (Jerseys)

Willy Adames took much better swings in June, but he still had just a .675 OPS in the month. In July, the production has arrived. 

Adames hit a 425-foot rocket in his second plate appearance that would have been a home run in 29 ballparks. At Chase Field, where there’s a mammoth wall in center and an elevated yellow line, it was a very, very long double. Umpires reviewed it, but it hit the wall a few feet under the yellow line. 

Adames later yanked a double down the left field line, giving him his first multi-double game as a Giant. Two days after a loud homer, he also had a walk and infield single. 

That’s Sick, Dude

Heliot Ramos was under the weather early in the series and it showed. Melvin gave him Wednesday off to recover, and when the clubhouse opened on Thursday, Ramos was all smiles. Whatever it was — and he didn’t know — had passed. 

Ramos looked like himself Thursday. He had an RBI double in his first at-bat and an RBI single in the third as the Giants jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

The left fielder is unlikely to make a second straight All-Star team given the depth at outfield in the National League, but he’ll take a .277 average and .804 OPS back to California. 

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Mets' David Stearns: 'My preference is to not bring up a top prospect for a spot start'

As the Mets deal with a growing list of injuries to their starting rotation, president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Thursday that while “every option is on the table,” his preference is to not call up one of the club’s top pitching prospects like Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean to make a spot start.

“My preference is to not bring up a top prospect for a spot start,” Stearns said. “I also understand this is a unique circumstance and I can’t take anything off the table right now, but my preference would be to figure out a way to do it without doing that.”

While Kodai Senga (hamstring) and Sean Manaea (oblique) continue to take positive steps in their individual recoveries and could each be back in the rotation before the All-Star break, the Mets come into this weekend’s Subway Series against the Yankees with question marks when it comes to both Friday and Sunday’s starters.

Paul Blackburn had been scheduled to start on Friday, but he’s since landed on the IL with a shoulder impingement. Sunday’s game, meanwhile, has been up in the air all week, but Stearns made it seem pretty evident that neither Sproat nor McLean will get called up, though it’s not entirely out of the question.

“I think from a developmental standpoint we prefer -- again, it’s not always possible -- but we prefer and I’ve seen over my career that it’s often beneficial for pitchers who you expect to pitch in your rotation for years to come to have a little bit of runway when they break into the major leagues,” Stearns said. “It’s not easy to come up here and perform right away. Sometimes it takes two, three, four, five starts to get your feet under yourself at the major league level, and I think allowing a pitcher, especially a top prospect pitcher, to have that runway can be helpful sometimes, both from a physical and a psychological standpoint. There’s also the reality of a baseball season that you have to get through, so you don’t always get to follow the perfect path.”

“The clear downside to giving someone the ball and having them not have a good outing, a short start, whatever it is, is you put your major league team in a hole,” Stearns added later. “So step one is we’d like to avoid that outcome. For the individual player’s development, you never know. I’m certain there are pitching prospects and prospects in general who will handle that just fine, and there are others who it probably impacts a little bit more, and trying to figure out which is which can be difficult. It’s also perfectly possible that you call someone up, they give you five good innings, and then go back down and continue their development.

“I’m certainly aware of all of these outcomes, and we’re sorting through it.”

 While nothing is set in stone in regards to this weekend’s pitching plans, Stearns and the Mets will explore every possible avenue, including bullpen games, using an opener with a bulk option to follow, as well as looking at the Triple-A and other major league rosters, in order to fulfill their current needs on the mound.

“I think every option is on the table, and we’re discussing all of them,” Stearns said, ‘whether that’s more days like [Wednesday] with an opener followed by a length option followed by the bullpen, whether we go straight bullpen days, whether we call up additional starters from the minor leagues, whether we seek external help, we’re going to evaluate everything.

“We’ll get through it. I do think we have options to get through this, and this is more of a short-term need than a longer-term need. We feel good about where Senga is in his process. We feel good about where Sean is, getting back, so clearly this weekend we have decisions to make, and then we have an off day and we get into next week and it becomes a little cleaner.”

Mets' Kodai Senga to make rehab start over weekend, could return before All-Star break

Mets ace Kodai Senga, whohas been out since June 12 due to a hamstring injury, appears ready to take another step forward in his rehab.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said prior to Thursday's game that Senga is expected to take the mound Saturday or Sunday for Double-A Binghamton.

"He was going through PFPs, some running drills, and all that," Mendoza said. "The goal is for him to pitch in a minor league game, I think it's in Double-A, either Saturday or Sunday. He's going to make an appearance there and we'll go from there."

Mendoza mentioned on Tuesday that Senga faced hitters on Sunday during "an up-and-down" live bullpen session and was scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Wednesday.

When asked how many rehab starts Senga will need before he could return to the bigs, Mendoza was optimistic on the right-hander's timeline.

"One at a time," Mendoza said. "Hopefully it's the one here this weekend. He might be in play for us before the break, too."

Senga's return would be huge for New York, as they are in need of healthy starting pitchers. Paul Blackburn (shoulder impingement) hit the IL Thursday, joining the recently added Tylor Megill (right elbow sprain) and Griffin Canning (season-ending Achilles injury). Mendoza did note that Sean Manaea is expected to have another rehab start after tossing 60 pitches over three-plus innings on Wednesday and could also be back before the All-Star break.

The Mets wrap up their three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, followed by a weekend Subway Series at Citi Field, a three-game set in Baltimore, and three more games in Kansas City before the All-Star break, starting on Monday, July 14.

The Rangers' ‘Busy And Exciting’ Offseason Has Been A Grand Success So Far

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury accomplished everything he wanted to do during the 2025 offseason.

Drury called these past few weeks“busy and exciting” as the Rangers have made a slew of moves over the past few weeks.

What exactly has made this offseason such a grand success so far?

The Blueshirts opened the summer with arguably the most monumental choices by trading longtime Ranger forward Chris Kreider.

It seemed at one point that Kreider would finish his career in New York, but it didn’t quite work out that way. 

Kreider struggled with injuries and saw a steep decrease in his overall stats during the 2024-25 season. On top of it all, he was the subject of trade rumors throughout the year, which certainly didn’t help make matters any better. 

While the 34-year-old should still have some quality hockey in his arsonal, Kreider’s decline was obvious to all watching the Rangers and he’s still under contract for another two seasons at an average annual value of $6.5 million. 

Drury is no stranger to dumping salary as he traded Jacob Trouba without retaining any of his salary and waived Barclay Goodrow when he was still under contract for another couple of seasons. 

The goal was not to retain any of Kreider’s salary, and that’s exactly what Drury did, trading him to the Ducks, who took on his entire contract. 

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Drury confirmed the Kreider trade had a lot to do with the ability to have more cap space. 

“It’s not always the easiest thing to do,” Drury said about trading Kreider. I could tell you that Chris himself and his agent were terrific to deal with in trying to figure out a solution here… A big piece of it was salary cap. There’s only so much to go around in trying to figure out the pieces that fit under the cap as we tried to rework the roster.”

The next big decision came at around the time of the 2025 NHL Draft when the Rangers had to decide whether to keep their 12th overall pick this year or 2026 first-round pick. 

As part of the J.T. Miller trade, the Rangers had to relinquish either their 2025 or 2026 first-round pick. 

Drury ultimately decided to keep his 2026 first rounder and transfer the 2025 12th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Despite not holding a selection in the opening round, the Rangers were able to draft forward Malcolm Spence with the 43rd overall pick, a player many predicted would be off the board by the end of the first round, further validating New York’s big decision. 

“Malcolm is an excellent winger, power play, PK (penalty kill), plays the game the right way,” Rangers director of player personnel John Lilley said. “He doesn't cheat the game. We’ve valued him for a few years now… I think he was projected to go quite a bit higher, so when the opportunity presented itself, we were thrilled to get him in that spot, and we think he's got a lot of potential and a high-character player.”

When it came to free agency, the Rangers were able to fetch one of the most sought-after players available on the market. 

There’s no doubt that the Blueshirts struggled from a defensive standpoint this past season, which is why the team went out and gave Vladislav Gavrikov a seven-year, $49 million contract.

“It starts in our D-zone,” Drury said when explaining the Gavrikov signing. “We have to be better in our zone, we have to be better in front of (Igor Shesterkin) and (Jonathan Quick). To me, that’s the mindset he shows up with every single day. 

Vladislav Gavrikov Is The Most Important Piece Of The Rangers' Massive Defensive Reconstruction Vladislav Gavrikov Is The Most Important Piece Of The Rangers' Massive Defensive Reconstruction The New York Rangers made a substantial financial commitment, giving defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov a seven-year, $49 million contract. 

“The size, the reach, the competitiveness, the way he defends and the way he is able to complement his partner, whether that’s Fox or any other of our right-shot D that we have, that’s what excited all of us in targeting this player. Thrilled to be able to have him as a key part of that D corps.”

The addition of Gavrikov made K’Andre Miller more expendable whom the Rangers were hesitant to give a long-term contract extension to. 

K’Andre’s lack of growth made it difficult for the Rangers to fathom committing a large amount of money to him. 

The Hurricanes were interested in the 25-year-old defenseman, and the two teams completed a sign-and-trade where the Rangers were able to acquire Scott Morrow, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, and a 2026 second-round pick. 

“With a young player that’s a year or a couple years away from free agency, it’s not always the easiest thing to come to an agreement on a long-term contract,” Drury said about Miller. “We just felt at this time it was best to allow him to explore a different opportunity.”

The last major order of business was to sign Will Cuylle to a two-year contract extension worth $3.9 million per season.

Cuylle is an emerging young talent for the Rangers who has shown a lot of potential. The Blueshirts were able to escape not giving Cuylle a long-term contract extension just yet, while no other teams attempted to offer-sheet him.

Now, the Rangers will be able to evaluate Cuylle’s progression even further and assess whether they want to commit to him long-term.  

So to recap it all, the Rangers dumped off some necessary salary, keeped their 2026-first round pick while drafting a high-quality prospect in the second round, signed a defensive anchor, got a quality return for a player they did not want to give a long-term extension to and, signed one of their most high-coveted young players to a team-friendly deal.

All of Drury’s goals have been fulfilled, and now the Rangers will have to build upon this impressive offseason.

Nationals' James Wood joins Ronald Acuña Jr., Cal Raleigh as Home Run Derby participants

WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood became the third player to announce he will take part in the Home Run Derby.

The derby will be held on July 14, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wood joins Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors with 33 homers, in the contest.

Wood has 22 homers this season. He’s the third Nationals player to take part in the Home Run Derby, joining Juan Soto (2022) and Bryce Harper (2013 and ’18).

The 22-year-old Wood has 12 homers that have been hit harder than 110 mph. It’s the second most in the league behind Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s 13. Wood also has four dingers that have been launched longer than 445 feet.

Wood was acquired from San Diego in August 2022 as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Soto to the Padres.

New Penguins Forward Could Be Big Surprise

The Pittsburgh Penguins have brought in several new players this off-season as they continue to retool their roster. Among the Penguins' newcomers is winger Justin Brazeau, as the Metropolitan Division club signed him to a two-year, $3 million contract.

While this was a bit of a quieter signing in the NHL, Brazeau has the potential to be a nice surprise for the Penguins. 

Brazeau has shown at times that he has the potential to provide both secondary scoring and physicality early on in his NHL career. After making the jump to the NHL with the Boston Bruins in 2023-24, the 6-foot-6 winger posted five goals, seven points, and 43 hits in 19 games. During this past season, he had 11 goals, 22 points, and 123 hits in 76 games split between the Bruins and the Minnesota Wild. He also recorded two assists in six playoff games for Minnesota.

Ultimately, with the Penguins needing more grit and depth scoring, there is no harm in them taking a shot on a big forward like Brazeau. At times with the Bruins, he demonstrated that he has some offensive upside, and now that he is entering his third NHL season, it will be intriguing to see if he taps into it a bit more.

When looking at the Penguins' roster, Brazeau could have a real shot of playing in their top nine. Furthermore, due to his effectiveness in front of the net, he also could get reps on the Penguins' power play. Thus, he could have more chances to succeed on a team like Pittsburgh. 

Nevertheless, it is going to be intriguing to see how Brazeau fits into the Penguins' system from here. If he becomes a more consistent scorer while maintaining his tenacious style of play, he could be a sweet pickup for the Penguins. 

NHL News: Penguins Lose Defenseman To CanucksNHL News: Penguins Lose Defenseman To CanucksFormer Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Pierre Olivier-Joseph has found his new home. 

Photo Credit: © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images 

Report: Blues Trying Hard To Acquire Byram

The Buffalo Sabres completed their Development Camp on Thursday, but the focus on the club continues to be the status of restricted free agent defenseman Bowen Byram. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported earlier in the week that interested clubs were contemplating an offer sheet, but that there are also teams looking to make a deal for the 23-year-old blueliner. One of the clubs listed was the St. Louis Blues and according to Jeremy Rutherford of the Athletic, the Blues are trying to consummate a deal with the Sabres. 

“We believe Bo is an excellent hockey player that can help our team win,” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said on Wednesday. “I've maintained the same position that if there's a deal out there that makes sense for us that we think is going to improve our roster we're open to it. If there's not, we're not in a situation where we're looking to move him out or looking to move him for futures and stuff like that, for me we want to help our team win hockey games and he helps us do that.”

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Byram is two years away from unrestricted free agency, but the Blues would likely be willing to commit to a long-term deal with the blueliner, since the majority of their defensive corps (Cam Fowler, Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko) is in their early 30’s, hence the reason St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong made the offer sheet bid for Philip Broberg last summer and traded with Montreal for former first round pick Logan Mallioux. 

Rutherford indicated that he does not believe that the Blues would go the offer sheet this time around, but that other interested clubs (Dreger indicated that the Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights, and Los Angeles Kings are talking to the Sabres) could be. Intriguing possibilities who could be involved in the deal are former St. Louis first-rounders Jake Neighbours, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Dalibor Dvorsky.

Neighbours is the same age as Byram, has scored 20+ goals the last two seasons, and is under contract for two years at a reasonable $3.75 million cap hit. Snuggerud, 21, the son of former Sabre Dave Snuggerud, made his NHL debut last season, playing seven regular season and playoff games, while Dvorsky, was the 10th overall selection in 2023 and scored 21 goals with AHL Springfield last season. 

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