One game won’t tell the whole story, but it will set a first impression of how close these rebuilding Blackhawks are to competing against teams of the Panthers’ caliber with the pieces each squad has. Suffice it to say, Chicago has a ways to go to end the rebuild as it develops its young talent.
The Panthers’ top two defense pairings can compete with that of any team, especially after they acquired Seth Jones from the Blackhawks around the 2025 trade deadline. It’s another story for the Blackhawks.
When their highest-scoring blueliner this past season is youngster Alex Vlasic, whose 30 points were a career high, they can’t expect any sufficient offensive production from the back end. As for Connor Murphy, whose 117 hits and 160 blocked shots led Hawks blueliners, he’s entering the final year of his contract and could be trade bait. Only the Anaheim Ducks allowed more high-danger chances against than Chicago this past season, according to naturalstattrick.com.
Similarly, comparing the Hawks’ forwards with the Panthers’ forwards tells you how long their road to respectability truly is.
Yes, the Blackhawks have cornerstone center Connor Bedard as their most important player and prospects Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert and Nick Lardis in the system. Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Donato had 58 and 62 points this past season, while Frank Nazar, 21, established his spot in the NHL full-time.
They’ll need Bedard to continue to grow as a difference-maker with help from his supporting cast, but they’re still over a season away from the wave of prospects taking this team to the next level. Right now, they don’t have enough true needle-movers to be in the same breath as a legitimate Cup contender like the Panthers, which are very deep at every position.
In net, the Hawks have a young goalie in Spencer Knight, who came over from Florida in the Jones trade, as well as veteran Laurent Brossoit. No goalie will be able to bail out the defensively lacking Blackhawks players in front of them. There may come a day when Knight can thrive between the pipes for Chicago, but that day isn’t likely going to come next season.
Chicago has about $22.3 million in salary cap space, and they used that room to acquire Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken for an upgrade on offense. But it’s unlikely they can weaponize much more of their cap space at this point to get the type of players that will make them beat teams like the Panthers more often than not.
The truth is the Hawks are a dog’s breakfast of assets at this stage, and many of their current players include veterans past their prime, like captain Nick Foligno, and second-tier NHLers, such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Teravainen and Burakovsky.
It’s clearly easy to see why the Hawks will be a long shot to play meaningful hockey down the stretch in 2025-26. The Panthers are likely to make it clear in Game 1 next year how far the Blackhawks have to go next season. After another year or two, the Blackhawks will be much better built to take the next step.
Former Michigan player Mitch Voit was selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the MLB draft on Sunday. (John McCoy / Associated Press)
Mitch Voit had plenty to celebrate on Sunday after being selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2025 MLB draft.
Chances are, that celebration did not resemble the now-infamous one the former Michigan infielder performed during a game against USC on March 16 in Ann Arbor.
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Voit ripped a hit into center field for a three-run triple that gave the Wolverines a 5-0 lead. While still on the ground after diving into third base, Voit decided to celebrate the feat in a rather curious manner.
“I would like to apologize for my actions on third base yesterday,” Voit wrote. “I made an immature decision in the heat of the moment. The gesture I made does not reflect my character, the household I was raised in, or the block M that I represent in any kind of way. I take full responsibility for what I did, and I am truly sorry to all those who I have negatively impacted by doing this.”
Voit was not punished by the Wolverines.
“Mitch is a great young man and immediately apologized for his actions in the heat of the moment," Michigan Athletics spokesperson David Ablauf told The Athletic in a March 18 email. "As an athletic department, we did not feel that it was necessary to issue any discipline.”
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mets vice president of amateur scouting Kris Gross said the organization did its due diligence on the matter leading up to the draft.
“We spoke to him earlier in the spring and at the combine about it," Gross said. "And basically, you know, he’s a young guy, it’s a heat of passion, it’s a big game. He made a big play for his team and made a mistake. And he’s made an apology for it and owned up to it, handled it with class.
"We did a ton of research after the fact with multiple sources about his makeup. We know this isn’t an issue and we feel comfortable with Mitch moving forward.”
Voit was a two-way player during his first two seasons at Michigan, before undergoing internal brace surgery on his right elbow in spring 2024. As the Wolverines' starting second baseman in all 56 games this season, Voit hit .346 with 14 home runs and 60 RBIs, with more walks (40) than strikeouts (34).
“He made a lot of strides, this being his first year to focus on hitting,” Gross told reporters Sunday.
“When you’re scouting him, you sit there and you start to check all the boxes. He checked them all.”
When the Mets return from the All-Star break, they will be under two weeks from the July 31 trade deadline, and there are plenty areas of need they'll have to add reinforcements to as they push for the National League East title and a deep playoff run.
As SNY’s Andy Martino has reported, the Mets are likely to be looking for both starting pitching and relief help, as well as a potential upgrade in center field. I would argue that they should at least consider an upgrade at DH, too. But from a roster construction standpoint it would be difficult pull off adding while also having Jesse Winker, Starling Marte, and Mark Vientos on the roster.
Marte and Winker are currently injured, but they could potentially return not long after the break.
The early feeling is that while there will be activity at the deadline as always, there may not be many top-end players on the move. It’s possible the best player traded this season was already moved with the Red Sox shipping Rafael Devers to the Giants a few weeks ago.
The team to watch over the next couple of weeks is the Diamondbacks, who could shake up the trade market in a significant way if they elect to sell.
I am often asked -- whether in the mailbag segment of The Mets Pod or in my mentions on X (@PSLToFlushing) -- about which prospects the Mets could look to move at the deadline, or more importantly who they shouldn’t move.
Given the expected available inventory, I think David Stearnswould be unlikely to trade from the very top of the farm system. As much as winning now is of most importance -- and I believe Stearns will be more aggressive than he was last year -- he will always make sure to keep an eye on the long-term. That's a difficult needle to thread, but it's one of the reasons the Mets hired him -- the whole idea of sustained success.
Names like Jett Williams, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Carson Bengestand out to me as prospects that I believe the Mets would be reluctant to move, especially for rental players. I would keep an eye on the pitching depth of the system being the spot where New York is most active in discussions with other clubs.
There will come a time that Stearns and the Mets will end up moving top prospects to get an impact player. Just think back to when Stearns acquired Christian Yelich from the Marlins when he was with the Brewers.
The question: Is this month the time that happens? Only time will tell.
Below are a few mock trades at different acquisition cost levels that could fill some of the Mets' needs. For clarity, I am not saying the Mets would do all of the below deals, but I tried to find fits for the team's top needs.
Jarren Duran / Imagn Images/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image
This one may be unlikely given the Red Sox rallied off 10 consecutive wins heading into the break and look more like a playoff team now than they did a few weeks ago.
That could lead to them hanging onto Duran at least until the offseason. But with an excess of talent in the outfield, they could look to move him for controllable, near big-league ready pitching.
Clifford could potentially be Boston's long-term solution at first base.
The Mets would have probably the best outfield in baseball with Brandon Nimmo in left, Duran in center and Juan Soto in right. Duran is having a somewhat down year by his standards, with a .749 OPS. But he does have 25 doubles, 10 triples, eight home runs and 16 stolen bases at the All-Star break.
Duran is also under team control through the 2028 season.
Sproat has turned his season around lately, pitching with conviction. He has 18.0 straight scoreless innings and his stuff has ticked up. His fastball is back into the upper 90s, touching 100. And he has further emphasized his curveball and changeup. Sproat looks to be on the precipice of being big-league ready.
Clifford is having a strong year with Double-A Binghamton, with an .814 OPS and Eastern League leading 17 home runs and 54 RBI. His strikeout rate is down a little from last year but still a little higher than you’d like it to be at 27 percent.
Tidwell has gotten looks at the big league level with inconsistent results thus far. He has good stuff and has missed bats at the Triple-A level, but there are questions regarding if he projects as a starter or reliever long-term.
Jun 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck - Imagn Images
Mets acquire OF Cedric Mullins and LHP Gregory Soto from the Orioles for RHP Nate Dohm (preseason No. 20 prospect) and RHP Jack Wenninger (preseason No. 27 prospect)
Center field? Check. A reliever? Check. The Orioles could be a great trading partner for the Mets this month as they have options at every position of need for New York.
Mullins is hitting .218 with a .713 OPS while hitting 13 home runs and stealing 13 bases.
Last year, Mullins had a down first half as well (.621 OPS), but he had a massive second half (.831 OPS). And the Mets would be buying him as at minimum a platoon partner for Tyrone Taylor -- and like Taylor, he is a plus defender in center.
Soto has a 3.74 ERA in 42 games spanning 33.2 innings with 40 strikeouts. He averages 96.7 mph on his fastball and has a well above average 27.4 percent strikeout rate. He can at times have his control come and go, but Soto could combine with Brooks Raley to give the Mets two impactful lefties in the pen in the second half.
Both Mullins and Soto are free agents at the end of the season.
The Orioles would get two intriguing arms having strong seasons in Dohm (3.12 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 57.2 innings split between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn) and Wenninger (3.01 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 86.2 innings for Double-A Binghamton).
Mets acquire RHP David Bednar from the Pirates for OF Drew Gilbert (preseason No. 10 prospect) and C/1B/OF Chris Suero (preseason No. 25 prospect)
The Mets could use a reliever they can rely on to be the setup man for Edwin Diaz, essentially forming a two-headed monster at the back end of games.
Bednar is under team control through 2026, with one more year of arbitration remaining.
In 2025 he's posted a 2.53 ERA in 32 innings with 45 strikeouts. His fastball is averaging 97.1 mph and he is in the 96th percentile in strikeout rate.
Being able to shift down the roles of the likes of Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek and Huascar Brazoban would only make the Mets' bullpen even more dangerous down the stretch.
The Pirates need bats, and Gilbert is a player that they could call up and give a shot to play right field nearly right away to join an outfield with Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz. Dating back to June 11, Gilbert is hitting .284/.368/.569 (.936 OPS) with seven home runs and 22 RBI in 28 games for Triple-A Syracuse.
Suero is a good athlete who has spent time behind the plate, at first base, and in left field this year for Brooklyn. The 21-year-old is hitting .240/.382/.455 with 13 home runs, 51 RBI and 25 stolen bases.
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park / Brett Davis - Imagn Images
Mets acquire RHP Zac Gallen from the Diamondbacks for INF Jesus Baez (preseason No. 6 prospect) and LHP Zach Thornton (not ranked in preseason top 30)
The Mets received encouraging performances from Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea over the weekend before the break. But with Senga struggling to stay healthy consistently, Manaea pitching through a loose body in his elbow, and a question of how long Clay Holmes will remain a starter this year, they need to add here.
Gallen is having a down year with a 5.40 ERA, but this is a former Cy Young candidate who has been better in July -- with a 3.50 ERA over three starts. One of the biggest differences is that his knuckle curve was one of the best pitches in baseball in 2024, and it has not been nearly as effective in 2025.
If you put him with Jeremy Hefner and this Mets' pitching apparatus during a pennant race, you may get the best of him as he heads into free agency this winter -- an improved Gallen surely could be a playoff starter for the Mets.
I think Gallen will be a popular trade candidate if available, so the price will not be cheap.
Baez is an infielder who has played second, third, and shortstop. He is slashing .251/.343/.398 with nine home runs and 41 RBI across 71 games between St. Lucie and Brooklyn. He shows a propensity to hit the ball hard with natural loft in his swing and has a good plan at the plate, where he has a low strikeout rate to go with an above average walk rate. Baez would be an upside buy for Arizona.
Thornton was one of the best performers in the Mets' minors prior to an oblique injury that will keep him out into the second half.
He has a 1.98 ERA in 14 starts between Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton, with 78 strikeouts and a minuscule 11 walks in 72.2 innings. He’s not going to blow anyone away with his stuff, but it’s a fastball in the 91-94 mph range, a gyro slider, curve and changeup. He projects as a potential back end starter.
Whether it's any of the above trades or not, Stearns and the Mets are in a position where there are holes to be filled on this club. And in the next couple of weeks they'll have decisions on their hands and a duty to improve the roster in pursuit of their first World Series championship since 1986.
Per Sammon, Robertson will hold throwing sessions for interested teams within the next week.
The 40-year-old right-hander most recently pitched with the Texas Rangers in 2024, appearing in 68 games while posting a 3.00 ERA. While he’s been well-traveled during his 16-year big league career, Robertson has spent the bulk of it with the Yankees, posting a 2.75 ERA in 501 regular season games in pinstripes while serving primarily as a setup man.
Robertson has experience pitching in Queens as well, as he signed with the Mets ahead of the 2023 season and posted a 2.05 ERA in 40 games before being traded to the Miami Marlins ahead of the deadline.
A fresh Robertson would obviously be a boon for the Mets, Yankees, or any club looking to add a bullpen arm in hopes of winning a World Series. And he can be had without trading away any prospects, which could make the veteran an especially intriguing option.
In late June, the
NHL announced the beginning of the
selection process for determining the two host cities of the next
World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to take place in February
2028.
According
to the press release, the eight-team tournament will be split into
two groups of four, with one group playing at venue in North America
and the other at an international venue – almost certainly in
Europe. In all probability, each venue would host six group-stage
games and two quarterfinals, with the North American venue also
hosting the two semifinals and the final.
The
deadline for submissions is Friday, July 18, 2025, for North
American cities and Wednesday, July 30, 2025, for
international cities.
The final selection of host cities is expected to take place sometime in early 2026.
North
American entries will surely be current NHL arenas. Which
one will be selected is anyone’s guess, but there are far fewer
venues in Europe that the NHL is likely to view as suitable. First
of all, the timeline of the selection almost certainly rules out the
possibility of any Russian city hosting. Even if Russia does play in
the tournament, it’s far more likely to play in the North American
group than in Europe, where their presence could be more
controversial.
Here are seven venues
in European countries that have a strong possibility to host, ranked
from most likely to least likely to be chosen.
When
the facility then called Sazka Arena opened in Prague in 2004, it was
fully up to NHL standards of the day with a
capacity of over 17,000, club seats, luxury boxes and everything
else. That year, it was the main venue for the IIHF World
Championship and also hosted a game in the World Cup of Hockey. More
than 20 years later, it is still one of only two
hockey venues within the European Union that
could reasonably
be considered up to current NHL standards in
terms of capacity and amenities.
In
addition, Czech fans always tend to come
out to support their team in big numbers, and Prague
is centrally located in Europe, easily accessible from all corners of
the continent by air and rail. It’s
a popular destination for travelling fans, which
is shown every time it hosts a major hockey event, meaning that all
games could be well-attended, not only the ones that the host team
is playing in.
For all
those reasons, O2 Arena in Prague is the most likely European host,
but it’s not a slam dunk.
2.
Avicii Arena, Stockholm Opened:
2004 (Renovated: 2025)
Capacity: 13,850
Stockholm
is every bit of a hockey city as Prague is, and the facility formerly
known as The Globe has also hosted numerous high-profile hockey
events over the years, including World Championships, World Cups and
NHL regular-season games.
Avicii
Arena, however, opened in 1989 and is significantly older than O2
Arena, and despite extensive renovations ahead of this year’s World
Championship, it still seats less than 14,000 for hockey. Also, while
Stockholm is almost as accessible as Prague for visitors from
elsewhere in Europe, it’s a considerably more expensive city to
visit.
Still,
the NHL considers Stockholm and Sweden an important market, as shown
by how frequently they place events there, so Avicii Arena is very
much in play for the World Cup.
3.
Helsinki Arena Opened:
1997 (reopening in 2025) Capacity:
13,349
Between
its opening in 1997 and 2022, this arena was the premier hockey venue
in Finland and one of the top ones in Europe, hosting four World
Championships, two World Juniors, three games at the 2004 World Cup
of Hockey and seven NHL games. However, it’s been closed since
early 2022 – you
can read more about that here.
The
good news is, the arena will apparently return to operation this
September. There are, however, recent
reports from Finland that the building’s new operator is
balking at reactivating the ice plant. If it’s fully hockey
functional – and it’s given the green light before the NHL makes
its decision – Helsinki has a chance.
The
largest full-time hockey venue within the European Union is in
Cologne, Germany. Since its opening in 1996, Lanxess Arena has hosted
three World Championships and drawn very strong attendance. The NHL
also put one game here in the 2004 World Cup.
If
there’s a drawback, it’s that the NHL still hasn’t announced
the format, and it’s not known yet whether Germany will be part of
an eight-team
tournament or have to qualify ahead of time. In the latter case,
it’s highly unlikely that Germany would get to host the European
group.
5.
Uber Arena, Berlin Opened:
2008 Capacity:
14,200
Or if
the NHL wanted to go to Germany, would they pick Berlin instead? It’s
definitely a larger and more accessible city. The NHL also put a
preseason game there in 2019 when the Chicago
Blackhawks visited Eisbären Berlin.
However,
the same question marks surrounding Cologne apply to Berlin as well –
it’ll only happen if Germany qualifies directly as one of
the eight initial teams.
6.
Nokia Arena, Tampere Opened:
2021 Capacity:
13,455
Tampere’s
Nokia Arena has become Finland’s premier hockey venue in the last
few years. Like Helsinki and Stockholm, the smaller capacity is a bit
of a drawback, and it’s a much less accessible city than those
other two – Tampere has only a minor airport, with Helsinki’s
international airport a two-hour drive away.
Nokia
Arena would be further up the list if Helsinki weren’t back in play.
Even without Helsinki, though, this one feels like a long shot with
some of the other choices available.
7.
Swiss Life Arena, Zurich Opened:
2022 Capacity:
11,157
The NHL
and the IIHF recently came to an agreement to send NHL players to the
2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and possibly 2030 in France. As good as
relations seem to be right now, the IIHF has been vocal about its
opposition to a major international non-Olympic hockey tournament in
Europe in February. Putting the European group in the city where the
IIHF’s head offices are located feels like something unlikely to
happen.
ATLANTA — Four years of return visits to Atlanta has prepared Freddie Freeman for another, this time as the starting first baseman for the National League in the All-Star Game.
Freeman, now in his fourth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, played his first 12 seasons in Atlanta. He makes no effort to hide his emotions when he returns and says he won’t be surprised if another warm reception from Atlanta fans creates another emotional response.
“Now that I’m here, I think it’s going to be special,” Freeman said before the Home Run Derby. “For the last four years, every time I come back, the fans, they’ve given me such great big, standing ovations, so I don’t expect anything.
“I’m just happy to be back and play in front of these fans again. So if they give me one, believe me, I’ll take it all in. I think you guys know, whatever I feel on the field, I let it come out. So we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Freeman won’t be the only former Atlanta star making his return. Max Fried, who leads the American League and is tied for the MLB lead with 11 wins in his first season with the New York Yankees, returns following eight seasons with the Braves. Both players still have homes in Atlanta and get to sleep in their own beds this week.
Fried won’t be able to participate in the game due to a blister on his left index finger.
Fried left Atlanta to sign an eight-year, $218 million contract with the Yankees in December.
Freeman said he was “so happy” Fried landed the big contract.
“I think we all know Max and how wonderful a person he is,” Freeman said. “And to see him get that contract rightfully, he deserves. He’s, you know, a big-game pitcher pitching on the biggest stage. ... And it’s really hard in your first year of a new contract, new team. ... And for him to go out there and have (success), it’s awesome. Especially in pinstripes in the Bronx, when there’s a lot of pressure on you.”
Fried was replaced on the All-Star roster by Yankees teammate Carlos Rodón but is still attending the festivities in Atlanta. The Yankees may start Fried in a three-game series at AL East-leading Toronto on July 21-23 after opening the second half by visiting the Braves.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it was clear how much it meant to Freeman to return to Atlanta as an All-Star.
“It’s something that I know once they announced that it was going to be held here, it was marked on his calendar,” Roberts said. “And then that was kind of his goal, was to get back here and get in front of the Braves’ faithful that cheered him on for, what, 11, 12 years. So he’s sleeping in his own bed for a couple nights.”
Freeman said he has visited with Braves manager Brian Snitker and some former teammates but spent more time relishing his relationship with the Atlanta fans.
“It’s special,” he said. “I think every time I come back, I try to portray what Atlanta means to me. Oh, it’s special every time I come back and the receptions they’ve given me the last four years. So I spent a lot of wonderful years here. ... I’m excited to be back.”
To be fair, Essengue scored 21 points, while Matas Buzelis showed why he is too good to still be playing in Summer League, scoring 28 points. It wasn't just those buckets; it was that the Bulls were getting theirs with flair in an up-and-down, fast-paced game. —Kurt Helin
The matchup between the Spurs and Jazz ended up being one of the best games of Summer League so far.
Kyle Filipowski dominated early and often, knocking down three triples in the first four minutes of the game and finishing with 35 points, 11 rebounds and five three-pointers. He had a layup to give Utah a late lead before Dylan Harper tied it up to force overtime, and Filipowski also had a dunk with two seconds left in overtime to tie the game before Riley Minix nailed the game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Filipowski has been fantastic through Summer League in both Utah and Las Vegas, and it wouldn't be shocking if they opted to shut him down for the remainder of the summer. With John Collins now in Los Angeles, Filipowski should be a key contributor for the Jazz this season.
John Tonje made his Summer League debut for Utah and finished with 16 points and four three-pointers. The 24-year-old rookie shined at Wisconsin last season and could be an NBA-ready scoring option for the Jazz this year, though the amount of depth Utah has will make it difficult for him to earn minutes.
Carter Bryant continued to play high-level defense, and Dylan Harper was solid despite not being quite as good as he was against Dallas, but David Jones-Garcia was the star once again. He dropped 28 points in the win, which was his fifth-straight game scoring at least 20 points this summer. The only time he didn't reach 20, he finished with 18 points. Jones-Garcia has certainly played his way into at least a two-way contract, especially if he keeps this up. —Noah Rubin
• Kel'el Ware responds after Spoelstra's criticism. In his first game at the Las Vegas Summer League, Miami's promising young big man Kel'el Ware was uninspiring, scoring 10 points with six boards and kind of coasting through the game (it's a concerning sign when a guy who got so much run as a rookie does not dominate in Summer League). The next day, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra showed up at Summer League practice and had some pointed words for Ware:
"A big part of this is he has to really embrace and improve his professionalism, his consistency, his approach every single day. He has to get better with that. It's learning how to become a pro. I understand it. He was 20 last year, and he's 21. We have bigger expectations...
"The professionalism and consistency has to improve, and it is. Our standards are not going to change, and our expectations and how fast we want that to improve for him are not going to change. But he has to get better at it, he has to take ownership of it, and the other stuff will come along with that."
Ware got the message. He was much more intense and focused against the Cavaliers on Sunday, scoring 21 points on 8-of-14 shots, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. On Sunday, Ware had another strong game with 21 points and 15 boards against Boston. —Helin
Blocks, dunks, triples, lobs, intensity, you name it… Kel’el was showing it all tonight pic.twitter.com/MjeiaJS0zp
• Kon Knueppel looks better. Kon Knueppel struggled in his Summer League debut on Friday and then sat out on Saturday. However, he was finally able to get things going against the Mavericks. He made an impact in a variety of ways, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three three-pointers. He was solid on defense, created shots for his teammates and had a double-double after not recording one during his lone season at Duke. Oh yeah, and he can shoot too. —Rubin
• Așa Newell's 3-point shot. Asa Newell hit four three-pointers on Sunday, which was an encouraging sign for his development. Deep-range shooting will be a huge swing skill for his future in the NBA.
On Monday, he only hit one, but it was clear the defense respected his shot. Early in the first quarter, he got his defender to jump on a pump fake, which set up a strong drive to the basket and a pair of free throws. Newell doesn't need to be an elite stretch big for the Hawks; they have Kristaps Porzingis for that. However, if he can at least space the floor enough for the defense to respect his shot, Trae Young and Jalen Johnson won't have any issues getting to the rim when Newell is in the game.
Newell's lone shot from deep came late in the game to tie things up at 99, and he followed that up with a Euro step layup in transition to give Atlanta the lead. He finished with 14 points and six rebounds in the overtime victory. —Rubin
• The highs and lows of Kobe Bufkin. Sure, there were plenty of mistakes, especially early, but Kobe Bufkin still had some positive aspects to his performance. He scored a game-high 25 points, including five of Atlanta's seven in overtime. However, he turned it over nine times and committed seven fouls. Yikes. Not what you want to see out of a first-round pick entering his third season. Bufkin would probably benefit from some extra games this summer. —Rubin
• Kennedy Chandler looking good. Kennedy Chandler continued to shine for the Rockets. He finished with 22 points, seven assists, and three steals and is now averaging 19 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game this summer. He had the ball in his hands a little extra with Reed Sheppard shut down for the rest of Summer League. Whether or not it's with Houston, Chandler has made a case to earn a two-way contract next season. —Rubin
Aggressive drive from Kennedy Chandler for the and-1
Martin spent this past season split between the ECHL and AHL. In 40 ECHL games with the Rapid City Rush, the 6-foot defenseman recorded three goals, 18 assists, 21 points, and 40 penalty minutes. He also played in four AHL contests with the Calgary Wranglers in 2024-25, posting zero points and a minus-1 rating.
At this point in his professional career, Martin has spent most of his time at the ECHL level. In 101 career ECHL games, he has recorded seven goals, 48 assists, and 54 points. Overall, the Quebec native has shown that he can produce solid offense from the point and be solid defensively at the ECHL level.
With this signing, the Rocket will now have another defenseman to consider using in their lineup. However, at a minimum, he should be a solid addition to the Canadiens' ECHL affiliate, the Trois-Rivieres Lions.
ATLANTA — Tarik Skubal views the strike zone differently than robot umpires.
“I have this thing where I think everything is a strike until the umpire calls it a ball,” Detroit’s AL Cy Young Award winner said ahead of his start for the American League in the All-Star Game.
MLB has been experimenting with the automated ball-strike system in the minor leagues since 2019 and will use it in an All-Star Game for the first time this summer. Each team gets two challenges and retains the challenge if it is successful.
“Pitchers think everything is a strike. Then you go back and look at it, and it’s two, three balls off,” Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, starting his second straight All-Star Game for the National League, said. “We should not be the ones that are challenging it.”
MLB sets the top of the automated strike zone at 53.5% of a batter’s height and the bottom at 27%, basing the decision on the midpoint of the plate, 8 1/2 inches from the front and 8 1/2 inches from the back. That contrasts with the rule book zone called by umpires, which says the zone is a cube.
“I did a few rehabs starts with it. I’m OK with it. I think it works,” said three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers. “Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have different sized boxes. They’ve obviously thought about that. As long as that gets figured out, I think it’ll be fine.”
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred anticipates the system will be considered by the sport’s 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives.
Many pitchers have gravitated to letting their catchers and managers trigger ball/strike appeals. Teams won 52.2% of their challenges during the spring training test. Batters won exactly 50% of their 596 challenges and the defense 54%, with catchers successful 56% of the time and pitchers 41%.
Hall of Famer Joe Torre, an honorary AL coach, favors the system. After his managing career, he worked for MLB and helped supervised expanded video review in 2014.
“You couldn’t ignore it with all the technology out there,” he said. “You couldn’t sit and make an excuse for, ‘Look at what really happened’ the next day.”
Now 84, Torre recalled how his Yankees teams benefitted at least twice from blown calls in the postseason, including one involving the strike zone.
With the 1998 World Series opener tied and the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh inning, Tino Martinez took a 2-2 pitch from San Diego’s Mark Langston that appeared to be a strike but was called a ball by Richie Garcia. Martinez hit a grand slam on the next pitch for a 9-5 lead, and the Yankees went on to a four-game sweep.
Asked whether he was happy there was no robot umpire then, Torre grinned and said: “Possibly.”
Then he added without a prompt: “Well, not to mention the home run that Jeter hit.”
His reference was to Derek Jeter’s home run in the 1996 AL Championship Series opener, when 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall to snatch the ball above the glove over Baltimore right fielder Tony Tarasco.
ATLANTA — National League All-Star manager Dave Roberts said including Milwaukee rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski on his team was “an easy answer” despite complaints from some players over his inclusion after just five big league appearances.
“If it brings excitement, attention to our game, then I’m all about it,” Roberts said before the Home Run Derby.
“I think for me, kind of my North Star is the All-Star Game should be the game’s best players,” the Los Angeles Dodgers manager added before also addressing the other side of the argument by adding “It’s about the fans and what the fans want to see.”
Misiorowski has pitched in only five games, a record low for an All-Star, creating a debate between those who say the game is for the most deserving players and those who say the game is for the fans.
The 23-year-old created an instant stir when he threw a 100.5 mph fastball for his first pitch in the big leagues. Oh, and for good measure, he opened that debut on June 12 against St. Louis by throwing five no-hit innings before leaving with cramping in the Brewers’ 6-0 win.
The 6-foot-7 rookie is 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA and has 33 strikeouts with only 12 hits allowed in 25 2/3 innings. It’s an impressive debut, but some players still believe the right-hander hasn’t been in the game long enough to merit All-Star consideration over more established players.
Philadelphia’s Trea Turner was outspoken in his criticism of the decision to add Misiorowski to the team when Phillies’ left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who is 8-2 with a 2.50 ERA, didn’t make the team. The Phillies also lobbied for left-hander Ranger Suárez (7-3, 1.94).
“What a joke,” Turner told reporters.
Misiorowski said he wasn’t offended.
“They’re not upset with me,” he said, adding he is as surprised as anyone to find himself in Atlanta for the game.
“The last five weeks have been insane,” Misiorowski said. “I thought the All-Star break would be a chance to sit down and reflect. Now we’re here.”
Turner’s teammate, All-Star Kyle Schwarber, said the attempt by Phillies players to speak up for Sánchez and Suárez “was not an attack at Misiorowski by any means. It’s an honor for him that he’s here and it should be an honor for him. It’s not his fault that he’s only pitched five games and he got named.”
Schwarber said Misiorowski could be an All-Star “every year that he pitches. It’s just more of the fact of our guys were having some really good years and some pretty good every day starts and numbers. You want them to feel like they’re gonna get represented the way that they should be.”
Schwarber added that he would likely talk to Misiorowski during All-Star week and would tell him “he’s doing a great job at what he’s doing and he’s going to be a perennial All-Star for years to come.”
Roberts said he plans to bring Misiorowski into the game as early as the fifth inning. “And it’s going to be electric,” Roberts said. “So the fans, the media, you’re going to love it.”
Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, 37, is on his 11th All-Star roster, this time as a legend pick by commissioner Rob Manfred. When asked about the conflicting opinions about Misiorowski, Kershaw said “I don’t think it’s conflicting. I think everybody wants the best players here.”
San Francisco right-hander Robbie Ray, 33, said Misiorowski has “an electric arm. He’s a special talent and I’m excited to watch him pitch.”
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, who is serving on Roberts’ staff and has experience selecting an All-Star roster, said there’s room for a player as inexperienced as Misiorowski to find a spot in the showcase.
“You know what? It’s an exhibition game,” Snitker said. “He’s another great talent. ... There are some guys that are very deserving. It is what it is.”
Most of the Toronto Maple Leafs' summer additions officially have numbers with their new club.
Henry Thrun was the first newly acquired player to confirm what number he'd be wearing with the Maple Leafs. The 24-year-old revealed on Monday afternoon during a Zoom media availability that he'd be donning the number three.
The defenseman wore the number with the San Jose Sharks before being traded to Toronto in exchange for Ryan Reaves. Thrun also had the number while captain at Harvard University. He was a big Zdeno Chara (who wore 33) fan growing up, which could be the reason behind the number.
Matias Maccelli, whom the Maple Leafs acquired from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional 2027 third-round pick, will wear 63, the same number he wore with Utah. The playmaking forward scored 18 points (eight goals and 10 assists) in 55 games last season, one year after tallying 57 points in 82 games.
Nicolas Roy will wear 55 with the Maple Leafs. He wore number 10 with the Vegas Golden Knights, however, the number is retired in Toronto courtesy of Maple Leafs legends Syl Apps and George Armstrong.
Toronto acquired the 28-year-old in a sign-and-trade for Mitch Marner in late June. Roy had 15 goals and 16 assists in 71 games last season with the Golden Knights.
Michael Pazzetta will wear number 61 with his hometown team, a number previously worn by Jacob Quillan. The 27-year-old forward signed a two-year, $1.63 million contract on July 1. He didn't register a point in 25 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season.
Travis Boyd, who signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Toronto on July 1, will wear the number 72 with the Maple Leafs. Boyd also wore 72 during his last stint with the Maple Leafs in 2021. The 31-year-old played most of last season with the AHL's Iowa Wild, scoring 53 points in 63 games.
According to The Hockey News' Karine Hains, the Maple Leafs will begin their season on October 8 inside Scotiabank Arena against the Montreal Canadiens. The full NHL schedule will be revealed on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.
The National League is led by a trio of Los Angeles Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith. Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes is on the mound first.
It’ll be a key moment for the NL as it has only won one of the last 11 All-Star Games against the American League.
Leading the way for the AL alongside Raleigh is New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and four Detroit Tigers: Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene, Javier Baez and starting pitcher Tarik Skubal.
Here’s where to watch the clash between the league’s top stars:
When is the 2025 MLB All-Star Game?
The All-Star Game is set for Tuesday, July 15.
What time is the 2025 MLB All-Star Game?
First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT.
Where is the 2025 MLB All-Star Game?
Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, is hosting the game for the first time.
Where to watch the 2025 MLB All-Star Game on TV
The game will be broadcast on FOX.
Where to stream the 2025 MLB All-Star Game online
The game will be available to stream on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports mobile app.
Who are the 2025 MLB All-Star Game starters?
These are the players starting for the AL and NL:
American League
C: Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
2B: Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers
3B: Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays* (replacement)
NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Chicago Blackhawks Brought In A Stellar Draft HaulThe Chicago Blackhawks are next up in Tony Ferrari's NHL prospect pool overview series.
