PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 21: General view of Chase Field before the MLB game on May 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The D-backs’ 2027 Home Opening Day on Friday, April 2 vs. Miami Marlins kicks off the home slate and a 6-game homestand against the Miami Marlins (April 2-4) and Los Angeles Dodgers (April 5-7). The second homestand, from April 16-21, will feature 3-game sets against the San Diego Padres (April 16-18) and Chicago Cubs (April 19-21).
Fan-favorite home holidays return with Mother’s Day Weekend against the Texas Rangers (May 7-9), Father’s Day Weekend against the Boston Red Sox (June 18-20) and 4th of July Weekend against the San Francisco Giants (July 1-4).The 2027 home schedule will wrap with a much-anticipated, season-ending, 6-game divisional showdown against the San Diego Padres (Sept. 21-23) and Los Angeles Dodgers (Sept. 24-26).
The D-backs will open the season on the road with a week’s worth of divisional matchups against the San Diego Padres (March 25-28) and San Francisco Giants (March 29-31). The remaining NL West road showdowns are at the Los Angeles Dodgers (May 24-26), Colorado Rockies (June 21-23), San Diego Padres (August 9-11) and Colorado Rockies (August 20-22) before ending the season’s road schedule with a 7-game roadtrip to face the San Francisco Giants (Sept. 13-15) and Los Angeles Dodgers (Sept. 16-19).
The road slate also features visits to the New York Yankees (April 9-11), Philadelphia Phillies (April 23-26), Atlanta Braves (May 14-16), Milwaukee Brewers (May 28-30), Toronto Blue Jays (June 8-10), Chicago White Sox (July 9-11) and Chicago Cubs (August 16-18).
It’s kinda hard to look at the schedule and figure out what sections might be tough or not. I recall everyone looking at this year’s calendar and deciding they had “a brutal early schedule.” Turns out that the Tigers, Mets, Orioles and Blue Jays – currently eight, seventeen, five and six games below .500 respectively – were not exactly the tough opposition predicted. The Diamondbacks went 9-3 against those opponents. So I’m a little reluctant to make any predictions when we are still more than sixty games from the end of this season, never mind any changes which may then get made during the winter.
However, based on current standings, it looks like it may be difficult to get out of the gate quickly. There’s an early 12-game stretch where we face the Marlins, Dodgers, Yankees and then back to the Marlins again. Based on the current standings, that would be a tough couple of weeks. It’s then then followed by ten more against the Padres (still at .500, though well off their early page), Cubs and Phillies. All told, that’ll be 22 games where all but three are against teams currently – again, a lot of water under the bridge between now and then – in the top eight of the MLB standings. Though the Marlins are probably gonna Marlin and sell everyone off for 2027.
After that though, I wasn’t seeing too many other cases where we have more than two consecutive series against teams currently with winning records. Maybe we’ll have Corbin Burnes back as Opening Day starter? Let’s wait and see there though.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - May 13: Casey Schmitt #10, Jung Hoo Lee #51 and Luis Arráez #1 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The MLB draft and All-Star festivities are over and we San Francisco Giants fans don’t have much to look forward to other than the looming trade deadline.
Of course, the Giants should be one of the busiest teams during the next couple of weeks as they sell away the bitter memories of lost season. Depending on who you believe, we could see a massive fire sale with most of the current 26-man roster available if the price is right. So, it could get wild as San Francisco has a chance to add some real firepower to an already much improved farm system. Yes, reading updated top 30 prospect lists has become much more enjoyable than scouring the MLB standings.
Still, there are some veteran players I’d like to see the Gaints resist dealing. Lets take a look:
Luis Arráez
I was excited when Arráez mentioned last week that he’d like to stay with the Giants. I’ve been screaming for weeks that Buster Posey needs to extend him, not trade him. Arráez is the type of player who the Giants can easily build around in the next half decade. He likely won’t be unbearable to absorb financially and he is just 29 years old. He is such a special player with the bat and his drastic defensive improvement shows he is still an ascending player who cares. You keep these types of players. Also, I wouldn’t expect another team to part with a top prospect for a non-power hitting middle infielder on an expiring contract. Just sign him now and move forward.
Jung Hoo Lee
The Lee rumors ramped up when ESPN recently included him as one of the more likely players to be dealt at the deadline. I have my doubts the Giants will actively shop him and that’s my hope. He was signed two years ago to be a core player and after some growing pains in MLB and some injuries, that’s exactly what he has become. At 27, Lee has a chance to be a premier hitter for the next several years. Now that he is the player tge Giants envisioned him becoming when the signed him out of KBO. Why would they cut bait now? He and Arraez give the Giants some serious OBP juice. Why mess with that? Let’s see this guy become an all-time San Francisco Giant.
Rafael Devers
Look, I’m as disappointed in the outcome of his trade last year as you are and his body language drives me nuts. But let’s just move on with Devers. Let’s face it; the Giants won’t get much if they give up on Devers either in player return and financial burden relieved. So, they might as well just embrace having him and move forward. Yes, he hasn’t been as good as advertised and he’s been frustratingly streaky in his 13 months as a Giant. But, there is no denying the guy can hit and he will hit for the next decade. Let’s bookend him with Bryce Eldridge for the next several years and enjoy it. Let’s forgive the shortcomings and just hope breaks the streakiness and rakes regularly like he can.
The Chicago Blackhawks have released their schedule for the 2026-27 season, which is a slate of 84 games, up from 82. The full schedule came out on Thursday after every team announced its home opener on Wednesday.
The Blackhawks will visit every building in the NHL at least once, and every team will come to the United Center at least once. From late September to early April, these 84 games will see the Blackhawks attempt to take a step in their rebuild.
Every game will be something special in its own way, but some games stick out more than others when it comes to the "must-see" mentality. These are the five to circle right away on the calendar:
September 29th - @ Vegas Golden Knights
The Chicago Blackhawks will open their season on the road with a match against the Vegas Golden Knights, who happen to be the reigning Western Conference Champions.
Right off the bat, the Blackhawks have as tough a test as they will face. The Golden Knights will kick off their 10th season in the NHL with this game, and the Blackhawks will be hoping to catch them at a vulnerable time to kick off their 101st season with a win.
October 6th - vs St. Louis Blues
After playing Vegas, the Blackhawks have two more road games against the Utah Mammoth and Buffalo Sabres before coming home to face the St. Louis Blues in their home opener on October 6th.
It is always a special time for the players, organization, and fanbase to return to the United Center for a fresh season, which is why this game is worth circling on the calendar.
October 10th - vs Carolina Hurricanes
On October 10th, the Chicago Blackhawks will welcome the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes to the United Center for their first and only visit. Like Vegas, the team that Carolina defeated in the Final, this is a great test for the young Blackhawks early in the season. All of the games up to this point will be played without Connor Bedard.
December 18th/20th - vs Ottawa Senators in Germany
The Chicago Blackhawks will face the Ottawa Senators for two games in Germany this season as part of the NHL Global Series. This initiative allows fans from across the world to see NHL hockey in person, and the Blackhawks are one of the teams this year. Connor Bedard should be back by this point.
January 30th - @ San Jose Sharks
The last game for the Chicago Blackhawks before their 10-day break for the All-Star Game will be in Northern California against the San Jose Sharks. This will be Connor Bedard's first meeting of the season with his friend and player rival Macklin Celebrini.
The funny thing is that their return game following the break is also against the Sharks in San Jose. Then, later in the season on March 16th, the Sharks will make their one trip to the United Center.
Before long, this is going to be a premier rivalry in the Western Conference because both teams are on the come-up at the same time, and it will be a treat to witness the matchup in 2026-27.
Potential For More
All of these are relatively early in the season. If there is going to be more intrigue later in the campaign, it would likely mean that the Blackhawks were having a good season, causing these games to be more exciting. If people are circling more games on their calendar late in the year, that means the team (or someone on the team) is doing big things.
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The Detroit Red Wings closed the book on one of the most significant eras in franchise history on Wednesday, as Steve Yzerman stepped down from his role as general manager and executive vice president of Hockey Operations, transitioning into a senior advisory role.
The move brings an end to what was ultimately a lackluster stretch for the organization, one defined by a lengthy rebuild that never fully delivered.
Yzerman, who spent 22 seasons as Detroit's captain during his playing days, left the Red Wings organization years ago to build a winner elsewhere, taking the reins of the Tampa Bay Lightning and constructing an eventual Stanley Cup contender.
His roster reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, and with additional tweaks from successor Julien BriseBois, that same core would go on to win back to back championships. While it's difficult to measure exactly how much credit belongs to Yzerman versus BriseBois for those titles, Yzerman had already proven he could build a winner from the ground up.
That track record made him an obvious target when the Red Wings came calling, and Yzerman returned to Detroit in April of 2019. What became known around the league as the "Yzerplan" was billed as a methodical, multi-year approach built on drafting and developing young talent while making calculated additions along the way, eventually forming a true contender.
Instead, the plan never fully materialized, and the Red Wings missed the playoffs for a tenth consecutive season this past year.
In many ways, the approach mirrored the Philadelphia 76ers' infamous "Process," banking on years of difficulty in exchange for sustained future success. Now, with Yzerman's tenure as GM officially over, it's worth looking back at some of the moves that defined his time running the franchise, for better and for worse.
Best: Locking Up Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond
Signing elite young talent never comes cheap, but Yzerman's belief in Seider and Raymond paid dividends. Seider has developed into one of the league's premier defensemen, and his $8.55 million cap hit through 2031 already looks like a bargain. The same goes for Raymond, who signed for $8.075 million through 2032 and has since become a point-per-game player.
Worst: Trading Jake Walman for Future Considerations
On June 25th, 2024, Detroit shipped defenseman Jake Walman to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations, a deal widely attributed to cap clearing amid reported friction between Walman and the organization.
The trade has aged poorly, as Walman broke out with San Jose, posting 32 points in 50 games as an offensive defenseman. The Sharks would later flip him to the Edmonton Oilers for a conditional 2026 first-round pick, a return Detroit could have used for themselves, not to mention losing a talented piece on their blue line.
Best: The Alex DeBrincat Trade
On July 9th, 2023, the Red Wings sent Dominik Kubalik, Donovan Sebrango, a 2024 conditional first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Alex DeBrincat.
The move paid off in a big way, as DeBrincat has been one of Detroit's top offensive weapons over the past two seasons, leading the team with 66 goals to go along with 71 assists for 137 points, third-most on the roster in that span.
Meanwhile, Kubalik was eventually moved to Chicago, Sebrango has made little impact at the NHL level, the fourth-rounder became winger Javon Moore, and the conditional first eventually became forward Dean Letourneau, who is now in the Boston Bruins system.
Worst: The Justin Holl Signing
Heading into the 2023 offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs were more than happy to part ways with underperforming defenseman Justin Holl, who they had been paying $2 million per season.
Detroit not only added a player who had struggled against one of their fiercest rivals, but gave him a raise with a $3.4 million cap hit over three seasons. The deal played out largely as expected, with Holl managing just 13 points in 111 games over the first two seasons before spending the final year of his contract entirely in the minors, eventually being dealt to the St. Louis Blues as part of the Justin Faulk trade.
For a young and developing roster, adding a veteran presence like Patrick Kane proved to be an ideal fit. Over three seasons in Detroit, Kane helped mentor younger players like Lucas Raymond while still producing on the ice, tallying 57 goals and 106 assists for 163 points in 189 games.
Worst: The Justin Faulk Trade
At the 2026 trade deadline, Yzerman sent Justin Holl, prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick to the St. Louis Blues for rental defenseman Justin Faulk.
The move was widely criticized after Detroit stumbled to a 6-10-3 finish, missing the playoffs and surrendering a valuable first-round pick in the process. Faulk remains under contract for next season and could still provide value as a veteran mentor for young defensemen like Seider, Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Simon Edvinsson.
But if the Red Wings miss the playoffs again next season, the trade will go down as the final costly misstep in Yzerman's tenure.
Best: First Five First-Round Picks (2019-2022)
Drafting and developing talent worked out early and often for Yzerman. His first five first-round selections as GM, Seider (sixth overall, 2019), Raymond (fourth overall, 2020), Simon Edvinsson (sixth overall, 2021), Sebastian Cossa (15th overall, 2021) and Marco Kasper (eighth overall, 2022), all look like hits.
All are already making an impact at the NHL level, aside from Cossa, who is expected to get his opportunity with the Utah Mammoth next season. Tasked with rebuilding the Red Wings with essentially only Dylan Larkin as a foundation, Yzerman quickly unearthed multiple franchise cornerstones.
Worst: Trading Sebastian Cossa for J.P. Hurlbert
It's still too early to fully judge the long-term impact of a trade made less than a month ago, but the optics are far from favorable. Despite Detroit's deep goaltending pipeline, Cossa looked like the franchise's presumptive goaltender of the future.
Instead of using him to bring back immediate help, Yzerman moved him to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd overall pick, a selection lower than where Cossa himself was drafted, along with prospect J.P. Hurlbert.
If Hurlbert fails to develop into a full-time NHL contributor and Cossa emerges as Utah's franchise goaltender, this deal could end up looking like one of the final missteps of Yzerman's Detroit tenure.
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The start of Thursday's game between the Mets and Phillies -- and the official start of the second half of the 2026 season -- has been changed.
New York and Philadelphia will begin their three-game series at 6:10 p.m., an hour earlier than its originally scheduled time due to air quality concerns later in the evening, the Phillies announced.
"They had to meet about it at 4," Marcus Semien, who was activated off the IL prior to Thursday's game, said of the new start time. "Definitely the opposite of a delay. It's for the better, it looks pretty bad out there."
“There is some air quality alerts out there. MLB, city teams feel it's safe enough to play a baseball game. We surely hope it stays that way, interim manager Andy Green said of the conditions. "You can’t predict this kind of thing. We limited our outside exposure, very short time out there for our guys.”
Green said their schedule changed a lot with the new start time, as they received word a little before four o'clock, but the team got as much done as they could.
"We got the work done that needs to get done, just in a condensed format," Green said. "This is a typical day where you might have an elongated workout because guys are coming off a break. It’s an adjustment but baseball always tends to make us make them."
Christian Scott (2-1, 3.17 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets, who are looking to snap their three-game losing streak. The Phillies will send Aaron Nola (3-6, 5.75 ERA) to the bump as Philadelphia looks to extend its winning streak to three games.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Manager Craig Stammen #14 of the San Diego Padres looks on from the dugout before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park on July 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The San Diego Padres made a last push to overcome their worst losing streak of the season with winning four of their last seven games against Arizona Diamondbacks and the Toronto Blue Jays. The two wins against the Blue Jays came on back-to-back days heading into the All-Star break. With only Mason Miller being named to the National League All-Star roster, the rest of the team got the week off to rest and reset before San Diego returns to the field against the Royals in Kansas City at 5:10 p.m. on Friday.
The back-to-back wins over Toronto ensured the Padres would have a .500 record at the ceremonial half-way point of the season. It was a far fall from the 11 games over .500 they had been earlier this season before an eight-game losing streak dropped them out of playoff contention. The expectation is that with 66 games to go before season’s end, San Diego should have an opportunity to push for playoff position. The Padres Reacts Survey poll question this week on Gaslamp Ball is asking respondents to determine if the Padres will compete in the postseason.
The answer to this question may be determined by how San Diego performs in the 16 games after the All-Star break leading into the trade deadline. Of course, it would make sense the answer is no if the Padres become sellers and it might be easier to say yes if they buy. Worse than either outcome is San Diego plays well enough to remain mediocre, convincing general manager A.J. Preller to hold onto potential trade pieces while adding on the fringes with players who have not stood out to their previous organizations.
The results of the poll will be posted in the near future.
Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Brandon Marsh #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies, Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets, and Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for game 1 against the Mets. Let’s discuss.
Major League Baseball announced its schedule for the 2027 season on Thursday, July 16 – assuming there is going to be a season to play next year.
The current collective bargaining agreement ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1, and there could be a lockout if issues such as owners' calls for a salary cap are not resolved by then.
For now, opening day is set for March 24 with a standalone game on Netflix. MLB has yet to announce the teams playing in that game.
There are no international games on the schedule. The All-Star Game will take place at Wrigley Field in Chicago on July 13, and the regular season is set to end Sept. 26.
Apr 19, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) celebrates against the Miami Marlins during the eighth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are back in action this weekend, as they’ll host the Miami Marlins to open up the second half of the season. Milwaukee, who limped into the break with a sweep at the hands of the Pirates in Pittsburgh, still sits atop the NL Central, with a five-game lead over the Cubs. They also own the second-best record in baseball at 59-37, just behind the 61-36 Dodgers.
The Marlins have also surged over the last month and a half, pushing themselves into the final NL Wild Card spot as of the All-Star break at 52-45, just ahead of the Cardinals. They also suffered a sweep heading into the break, though, as they lost all three games against the Guardians in Cleveland.
Milwaukee’s IL remains pitcher-heavy, with Rob Zastryzny (late July), Brandon Woodruff (possibly out for season), Kyle Harrison (late July or August), Joel Kuhnel (late July or August), DL Hall (late July), Brian Fitzpatrick (out for season), Quinn Priester (out for season), and Angel Zerpa (out for season) all on the IL. Outfielder Brandon Lockridge is still out with a knee injury that has kept him out since early May, but he’s nearing a rehab assignment, while infielder David Hamilton is looking at a late July return after suffering a strained hamstring right before the break.
The Marlins are without pitchers Michael Petersen (TBD), William Kempner (TBD), John King (TBD), Anthony Bender (late July), Josh Ekness (August), Andrew Nardi (September), Ronny Henriquez (out for season), and Adam Mazur (out for season). Outfielder Owen Caissie is the lone position player on the IL, and he’s looking at a late July return.
Milwaukee is led by Jake Bauers offensively, as he’s enjoying a career year with a .268/.373/.508 line and 18 homers through 87 games. Brice Turang has added 14 homers, and Jackson Chourio has 13. William Contreras and Gary Sánchez have been a solid backstop duo, while Garrett Mitchell has stayed healthy for the first time in his career *knock on wood*. Christian Yelich, Sal Frelick, and Andrew Vaughn also play key roles, with David Ortiz, Luis Lara, Cooper Pratt, and Braden Shewmake rounding things out. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .254/.337/.398 (.735 OPS ranks tied for ninth), with 89 homers (tied for 28th), 489 runs (fourth), and 89 steals (tied for sixth).
Similar to Milwaukee, the Marlins aren’t a homer-heavy team, but they’ve found a balanced attack offensively this year. Heriberto Hernández and Liam Hicks are tied for the team lead with 13 homers each, with Kyle Stowers right behind then at 12 homers. Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards are both hitting over .300, creating a strong duo up the middle. Javier Sanoja, Jakob Marsee, Griffin Conine, and Joe Mack are among the other regulars, with Brian Navarreto, Leo Jiménez, Old Friend Esteury Ruiz, and Rece Hinds serving as depth. As a team, the Marlins are hitting .253/.330/.411 (.741 OPS ranks tied for sixth), with 98 homers (tied for 23rd), 439 runs (13th), and 101 steals (second).
Aaron Ashby still leads all of baseball with 12 wins, though he hasn’t been quite as unhittable over the last month or so, with a 3.56 ERA and 75 strikeouts over 55 2/3 innings this year. Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill have both been fantastic over the past couple of months, while Chad Patrick has bounced back nicely after a rough stretch in June, allowing just two runs over his last 11 innings. Grant Anderson, Jared Koenig, Craig Yoho, and Bryse Wilson round out the bullpen. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.48 team ERA (second), including a 3.40 starter ERA (first) and a 3.58 bullpen ERA (fifth). They’ve struck out 928 batters (second) over 858 2/3 innings.
Calvin Faucher leads the team with 40 appearances out of Miami’s bullpen, though he hasn’t been great, with a 4.31 ERA. Pete Fairbanks has a dismal 6.83 ERA but leads the team with 13 saves in 15 opportunities, and Michael Petersen and UW-Whitewater alumni Lake Bachar also figure prominently. Cade Gibson, Tyler Zuber, Dax Fulton, and Ryan Gusto round things out. As a staff, the Marlins have a 4.02 team ERA (10th), including a 4.25 starter ERA (14th) and a 3.69 bullpen ERA (seventh). They’ve struck out 815 batters (13th) over 854 innings.
Henderson, 24, continues to shine in the majors, as he’s now 6-1 for his career with a 2.52 ERA, 2.73 FIP, and 67 strikeouts over 53 2/3 innings through 11 career starts. He’s earned the win in each of his last three outings, including a win in his return from injury on July 9 against the Cardinals, when he went 5 1/3 innings with three runs allowed and four strikeouts. This will mark Henderson’s first career appearance against Miami.
Alcantara, 30, continues to be an innings eater here in his ninth MLB season. He currently leads the league in starts (20) and innings pitched (130 2/3), with a 3.99 ERA, 3.78 FIP, and 100 strikeouts. The 2022 NL Cy Young winner took a loss in his last outing, though, as he allowed three runs on five hits over seven innings against the Guardians, striking out eight. Over eight career appearances (six starts) against Milwaukee, he has a 3.14 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 43 innings. He took a loss against the Brewers in Miami back in April, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and six walks, striking out one.
Saturday, July 18 @ 3:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (4-3, 3.09 ERA, 3.24 FIP) vs. RHP Max Meyer (9-1, 2.58 ERA, 3.53 FIP)
Drohan, 27, has made the most of his opportunities with the Brewers this year, as he’s now made 19 appearances (nine starts) with a 4-3 record, 3.09 ERA, 3.24 FIP, and 67 strikeouts over 70 innings. He took a tough luck loss in his last outing, though, as he allowed three runs on five hits and no walks while striking out six in a 3-2 loss to the Pirates. This marks Drohan’s first career appearance against Miami.
Meyer, 27, has put things together in his fourth year here in 2026, as he’s well on track to finish with positive bWAR for the first time in his career. He went 9-1 with a 2.58 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and 116 strikeouts over 108 innings in the first half, enough to earn him an All-Star selection. The right-hander went five-plus frames in his last appearance against the Mariners, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four in an extra-innings win. Meyer’s lone appearance against Milwaukee came back in 2024, when he went four innings with three runs allowed on four hits and two walks, striking out three in a no-decision.
Sunday, July 19 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (2-4, 5.24 ERA, 5.28 FIP) vs. RHP Eury Pérez (5-7, 3.78 ERA, 4.26 FIP)
Gasser, also 27, hasn’t been nearly as good in season No. 3 as he was in his brief cameos in 2024 and 2025. The left-hander is just 2-4 with a 5.24 ERA, 5.28 FIP, and 43 strikeouts over 46 1/3 innings in nine starts this year, and he’s coming off his worst start yet. He went just three-plus innings in Sunday’s series finale in Pittsburgh, allowing seven runs on eight hits and a hit batter while striking out three. Gasser’s lone appearance against the Marlins came in his third career start back in 2024, when he went six innings with five runs allowed (four earned) on 10 hits and two hit batters, taking a no-decision as the Brewers would go on to win 7-5.
Pérez, 23, is in his third MLB season and continues to be a serviceable starter in the majors. Across 16 starts this year, Pérez is 5-7 with a 3.78 ERA, 4.26 FIP, and 95 strikeouts over 85 2/3 innings. The young right-hander has been especially good of late, allowing just five runs over his last six starts, spanning 33 1/3 innings (1.35 ERA) with 37 strikeouts. He’s made three career starts against Milwaukee, totaling 15 2/3 innings with a 2.30 ERA and 20 strikeouts. That includes a victory back in April, when he went six innings with one unearned run allowed on three hits and a walk, striking out seven.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, July 17: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, July 18: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, July 19: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Brewers are deploying a trio of young arms, while the Marlins are using their top three arms, which will make for a tough series, even at home. These are also a pair of fairly evenly matched offenses, so I’ll take the Marlins to sneak away with two of three.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 04: A general view of American flags on the stadium roof during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The All-Star Break is nearly over, the Yankees ready to kick off their second-half slate with a showdown with the Dodgers. Before we get to the second half of the 2026 season, however, MLB has announced the schedule for the 2027 season.
The Yankees will open next season at home against the Blue Jays on Thursday March 25th, a welcome development after having opened two of their last three campaigns on the road. A three-game set with the Jays will be followed by three games against the A’s, giving New York a six-game homestand to start the year. On the other end, they’ll close the 2027 season with a six-game road trip against division rivals, with a trip to Toronto followed by three games against the Orioles.
Interestingly, the season-opening set with the Blue Jays will be the Yankees’ only divisional matchup during the season’s first six weeks until they host the Rays for four games in the second week of May. In related news, the first series with Boston once again won’t happen until the Yankees travel to Boston on June 4th; this will mark the fourth time in five seasons that the first Yankees-Red Sox matchup won’t come before June.
A few other highlights dot the schedule. The first edition of the Subway Series will come on May 28th at Citi Field, before returning to Yankee Stadium on July 16th, the first series coming out of the All-Star Break, with the All-Star Game itself on July 13th. The Yankees will also travel to play the Dodgers next year, with that series starting August 27th in Los Angeles.
We may have a whole half-season (and a playoff tournament) to play for 2026, but we’ve already got an eye on 2027. Here’s a look at the full Yankees schedule:
You can check out the rest of the 2027 MLB schedule here.
DETROIT, MI - JULY 12: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Comerica Park on July 12, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The national baseball media has been trying to trade Tarik Skubal from the minute the Detroit Tigers were eliminated from the ALDS by the Seattle Mariners last October. That’s not a surprise, because it’s a good storyline, and one that media in major markets loves to push as the big spending teams pluck talent from smaller markets. The whole concept of a Skubal trade has been a huge maker of hay since the beginning of the offseason, and it’s certainly an interesting topic. Now that it’s finally becoming a more relevant one, it’s worth keeping in mind that the Tigers already placed their bets this season, and don’t seem at all keen on dealing the back-to-back AL Cy Young winner in the first place.
There certainly were plenty of reasons to think a trade made sense over the offseason, and there are plenty of reasons to think a trade makes sense now. The Tigers front office passed on considering a trade last offseason, and it’s hard to believe they will easily change their minds unless they really struggle coming out of the All-Star break. Remember the bet Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg already placed on this season by keeping Skubal in the first place.
Since taking over the Tigers, the biggest trade the Scott Harris-led Tigers have made was dealing a rental in Jack Flaherty. In terms of volume of trades, they rank toward the bottom of the league in the Harris era, waiver claims excluded. This front office doesn’t pursue many trades. They aren’t out there aggressively trying to upgrade their roster with trades during the offseason, and so far they haven’t been very good at making deadlines trades either. And other than trading Jack Flaherty at the 2024 deadline, the trades they have made, whether buying or selling, have been small in scale and consequence. These things are related. A potential Skubal trade exists on a higher level of importance and scrutiny than anything they’ve done through four offseason and three trade deadlines.
We certainly thought that a major package of prospects including a major league ready starter was a possibility worth exploring back in the offseason. Yet there was no point writing about it, because the Tigers had no real interest in exploring the possibility. Neither party showed any interest in an extension offer either. Months later, with the Tigers creeping back into the postseason chase after a catastrophic month of May, there still appears to be no real interest in trading their ace. At least nationally, few seem to be taking this part of the equation seriously. The Tigers have to trade him even if they might get a wild card spot, right? Right?
Not so fast.
The Tigers have had some reason and plenty of opportunity to at least explore the possibility of a Skubal trade for a long while now, and they’ve shown zero interest in doing so. The projected return on a Skubal trade has diminished with each step. Would they fiually change their minds now when they’re 3.5 games out of a postseason berth in mid-July? Was the decision to hold onto him this year and try and go for it contingent on a specific marker in the minds of the Tigers’ decision makers? Or would they have to really stagger out of the gate after the All-Star break to even consider listening to offers?
We don’t have the answer, but their history says they’re not real comfortable in this position. Since taking over the Tigers at the end of the 2022 season, the Harris front office has been in three big spots nationally. They’ve had two notably valuable players to trade at the deadline in Eduardo Rodriguez in 2023 and Jack Flaherty in 2024. The third was the Skubal arbitration hearing over the winter, which was one of the biggest stories nationally for a while. When this front office has had the spotlight on them in a negotiation, things haven’t gone very well.
So, it’s time to sharpen up old Occam’s Razor here. Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg believed that keeping Skubal gave them a legit shot at reaching the World Series this year, and that taking that shot was worth more than dealing him for two really good prospects and thinking beyond 2026. Reaching the World Series is the only goal worthy of holding onto him in his walk year. And so it’s a straight line from there to the realization that they wont’t trade their ace unless they’re convinced that they won’t make the postseason. They’ve already placed a pretty big bet on making it to the party and shooting their shot in October. They probably don’t care how they get into the tournament to face a pretty mediocre looking American League postseason field. Only that they have a chance.
The Tigers hold a 22-14 record going back to June 1. They are 6.5 games behind first place Chicago for the top spot in the AL Central. They are 3.5 games outside of a wild card berth. They’ve made a really nice run to get back on the fringes of the conversation. There are 66 games left in the season. The Tigers certainly aren’t in good position here, but they’re still close enough as of this writing to believe they can at least draw a wild card slot. Their odds will be on a seesaw unless they go on a post All-Star break run or collapse which would make the decision easy.
FanGraphs currently has the Tigers postseason odds at 27.7 percent. For an analytic organization, what do the playoff odds have to be for the Tigers’ brass to decide that they have to start thinking long term and open up trade talks on their ace? The next 16 games could certainly sway those odds significantly, but it would be very interesting to hear the front office put a number on it. That’s not happening publicly, of course.
We’ve seen the Tigers and Guardians both make massive runs to the postseason in the final weeks of each of the last two seasons. We’ve also seen the Twins in 2024 and the Tigers in 2025 fall apart in September. There’s really no predicting the outcome. A handful of top teams will probably continue to play great, and a lot of really bad teams will continue to be bad and sell off over the next two and a half weeks. For everyone else it’s a crapshoot.
One would think the Tigers have to win something like 9-10 of their next 16 and gain more ground in the wild card chase to hold onto their potential trade chips, but this front office does things their own way. So, just remember who we’re dealing with here. The Tigers could play the next 16 games, find themselves still 3.5 games back in the wild card hunt, and I still couldn’t say with any certainty that they’re going to make a deal for Skubal.
Personally, I think the idea of trading Skubal fills them with dread. If they make a deal, punting on the 2026 season in most fans’ eyes, and don’t land at least one really good player, it will be a major failure. Of course, if they keep him and miss the playoffs, that would be equally disastrous. So, while we can scheme all sorts of Skubal trade ideas that would make the Tigers better in 2027 and beyond, without fully giving up on the 2026 season, I assume that things would have to go pretty poorly over the next 16 games to get them into a selling posture. Right now, I think they’re planning to keep him, as they did this offseason when he had more value and potentially could have commanded two blue chip prospects.
The fact that Skubal isn’t having a Tarik Skubal level season is probably less of a factor than people might think. Prospective teams interested in his services are all about October. They aren’t concerned with his numbers before and after returning from the surgery. They’re concerned with his recent trendline and how they think he’ll pitch down the stretch and in the postseason. And with teams with excellent farm systems like the Dodgers, Rays, and even potentially the Brewers at least curious on the price, there is going to be competition and a ton of interest. Let no one tell you otherwise. At the same time, with 12 teams in the postseason, and few teams particularly in the American League really separating from the pack, the situation is still really murky and may require the next two weeks to really force teams’ hands in making deadline decisions.
Skubal was hit up for more home runs than usual in June, but he was basically speed running spring training again to get back into the groove of the regular season over his first couple of starts back. He’s now allowed four earned runs in his last three starts, while punching out 23 hitters in 16 innings of work, with three walks allowed. The only real criticism we can offer is that even in his last couple of outings, his command hasn’t been quite as sharp as peak Skubal, which has made it a bit harder to put hitters away as quickly and efficiently and led to a few more hittable pitches for hitters in swing counts.
All the underlying metrics say he’s healthy. His fourseam fastball is averaging 96.7 mph, which is nearly a tick less than in 2025, but on par for his 2023-2024 campaigns. The injury is arguably as much a feature as it is a bug, because taking six weeks off to rehab the elbow after having a bone chip removed makes him more likely to be fully fresh down the stretch and in October, rather than starting to run out of gas at the end of a full regular season campaign. This isn’t the kind of injury that raises any particular long-term red flags either. For all the same reasons, the Tigers have reason to believe that keeping Tarik Skubal gives them a particularly important weapon in trying to actually win something this season. The Tigers certainly shouldn’t be discounting him, and have to hold out for a full price package.
So let’s hope that’s the play here. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the Tigers, unlike most teams, can credibly say they aren’t that motivated to trade him. There’s a weird kind of leverage available for a team that is notably trade averse. What would seem like a tactic from most teams might actually be true in the Tigers’ case, allowing them to hold out for a package that disregards the injury and underperformance in the first half. The attitude being, if you’re not going to give us what we want, we might as well play it out and say at season’s end, hey we believed in our team and we expected to make a run. There’s still the backup plan of holding onto Skubal, extending the qualifying offer, and collecting a compensation pick.
We also have the fun factor of a new CBA negotation and a potential work stoppage that could affect the 2027 season. Some teams may not feel comfortable enough at this deadline to make a big move, but others may look at this as a last chance before the ruleset and salary structure of the game is changed again. Talk about a Pandora’s Box of possible changes teams will have to, in some way, account for as the deadline approaches.
The Harris-Greenberg front office does love prospects, so if you’re really begging for a trade, you can perhaps take heart from the possibilities before them. Could the Tigers land Mike Sirota from the Dodgers, or Luis Peña from the Brewers along with some upper level pitching talent? Questions like these should at least intrigue this front office. At the same time, this is a rental, and while they need to do way better than they did with Jack Flaherty, it’s harder to know how many teams are really feeling all-in about making an aggressive win-now trade with so many other clubs still in the mix.
Of course, what this front office is really about, is trying to draft and develop well, augmenting the major league club with generally low cost, short term commitments. The specter of collecting a PPI pick for Kevin McGonigle’s Rookie of the Year campaign, getting compensation picks for Skubal and potentially for Casey Mize as well, in a year in which the Tigers are scheduled to have a a CBA pick after the regular first round (new CBA pending, of course), would have this front office drooling over the 2027 draft. That thought might be enough to keep Skubal and take a crack at winning this year despite the odds, or at very least to be very stubborn about holding out for a haul in order to trade him.
With the All-Star break ending, and the trade deadline looming, it’s certainly time to talk trades. It’s just well worth establishing the context that most of this Skubal trade talk doesn’t always acknowledge. The Tigers have at no point uttered a single word of interest in a Skubal trade. Whether they should trade Skubal or not is a separate question. Unless you believe that the Tigers are going to get their bullpen sorted without outside additions, it’s hard to like their chances. At the same time, they are right within striking distance of their targets now and perhaps everything simply comes down to how they perform over the next two weeks.
The Tigers have passed on opportunities to trade Skubal already when he had more value and it made pretty good sense to do so. They placed their bets in the offseason, signed Framber Valdez, and decided to try and make a push with this group in 2026. It hasn’t gone very well, but the trendline is certainly headed in the right direction. Unless circumstances really force their hand by August 3, their interest in trading Tarik Skubal is likely lower than the baseball world believes. They’re going to hold out as long as possible, and we’ll see if anyone changes their mind with a really great offer. That’s not the worst position to be in coming out of the All-Star break after the debacle that was the month of May, but the decisions made between now and the trade deadline are crucial ones to get right after the deadline failures and collapse of 2025. This front office’s legacy may be defined by the decisions they make in the next few weeks.
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 10: Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets takes the field during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday, July 10, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets’ bullpen churn has kicked into high gear as we head into the All-Star break, as evidenced by how many new names are on the meter this week. There are even more names (we hardly knew thee, Dan Hammer) who were shadow Mets who never got into a game and therefore don’t appear on the meter. The Mets’ pitching struggles continue, as the bullpen (with the exception of double fireball awardee Luke Weaver) has hit a rough patch. As for the rotation, Nolan McLean and Christian Scott have been its most consistent members of late, but Zach Thornton had his best start yet as a Met and may have earned himself more innings in the second half, especially if the Mets deal one or more of their pitchers at the deadline.
Player
Last week
This week
Huascar Brazobán, RHP
Xzavion Curry, RHP
—
Joey Gerber, RHP
—
Sean Manaea, LHP
Nolan McLean, RHP
A.J. Minter, LHP
Tobias Myers, RHP
Freddy Peralta, RHP
Cionel Pérez, LHP
Brooks Raley, LHP
Christian Scott, RHP
Matt Seelinger, RHP
—
Kodai Senga, RHP
Zach Thonton, LHP
—
Austin Warren, RHP
Luke Weaver, RHP
Devin Williams, RHP
Guillo Zuñiga, RHP
—
Poor Zach Thornton. He pitched seven shutout innings against the Red Sox and was in line for his first big league win when Francisco Lindor booted a potential game-ending double play and the Red Sox went on to win. That doesn’t take anything away from Thornton, who yielded just two hits while walking two batters and striking out five. After a rough big league debut, he has now pitched two gems in his next two chances. He’ll probably start a lot more games for the Mets in the second half.
Devin Williams blew the save in the ninth in the final game before the break, costing Thornton the win. It’s true that he was let down by Lindor in the field, but he collapsed totally after the error, issuing two costly walks. Williams’ performance has been uneven of late. He pitched a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation in the Mets’ series finale victory over the Royals, but had two consecutive outings in the Braves series in which he gave up at least one run. In the series finale in Atlanta, after Juan Soto’s clutch homer in the ninth gave the Mets the lead, Williams blew the save in the bottom of the frame, giving up a game-tying two-run homer to Matt Olson. Luckily for Williams and the Mets, they went on to win the game in extras. The day before, Williams found himself pitching in a game he did not expect to be pitching in, as the Mets almost blew a seven-run lead. Williams narrowly managed to protect it, but not without agita.
Williams found himself in that situation because Huascar Brazobán had his worst outing of the season thus far, giving up five runs in just a third of an inning, resulting in the Mets having to use Williams in a game they thought was well in hand. That outing heavily skews Brazobán’s ERA for this two-week span, which is ugly, but he did not give up any earned runs in any of his other three outings this month thus far. That doesn’t mean those outings were necessarily smooth though. In last Tuesday’s absolutely insane 16-12 loss to the Royals, after Austin Warren failed to retire a batter, Brazobán came in and allowed the tying runs to score, but those were charged to Warren. Warren was subsequently placed on the injured list with a forearm strain, which explains his poor outing. Brazobán went on to pitch a scoreless inning in the following frame when given a clean slate to work with, but he did have to navigate out of a jam to do so. He came back out to the mound two days later and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning ahead of Williams. He also pitched two thirds of an inning in relief of Freddy Peralta in Saturday’s loss to the Red Sox.
Freddy Peralta was sunk by walks on Saturday, issuing five of them in just 4 1/3 innings of work, over which he also struck out six. He only gave up two runs, but that was enough for him to get saddled with the loss, as the Mets were shut out that day. That outing is not really why he got a bad grade though. He got a bad grade because his outing in Toronto on Canada Day was quite bad. In that game, he was knocked around for five runs on seven hits in just four innings of work. “Not good,” Peralta said after that game. “I don’t feel good. But just trying to come back and make the adjustments.” Peralta also started the game in which the Mets eked out an extra-inning victory over the Braves. In that outing, he gave up three runs in 4 2/3 innings, but only one of those three runs was earned. All told though, Peralta—who is supposed to be one of the Mets’ best assets to deal at the deadline—has struggled and his ERA north of 4.5 is one of the worst among qualified NL starters.
Kodai Senga’s struggles continue unabated as well. His first couple of outings of the month of July were rocky. In Atlanta, he gave up a solo homer to Matt Olson—Olson’s second of the game in what ended as a 5-3 loss for the Mets. He followed that up with a nightmarish three innings as the bulk guy against the Royals in last Tuesday’s rollercoaster game. He gave up four runs in three innings of work, putting the Mets in an early hole, which they would eventually climb out of and then some, only to give it all back again…and then some. But there appears to be some hope Senga will have utility as a one-inning reliever. In his most recent outing on Friday night in the series opener against the Red Sox, Senga was deployed for just one inning for the first time this season and he did pitch a scoreless frame with a strikeout. So there is at least some light at the end of the tunnel and a path forward for him to provide value for the Mets in the second half and perhaps carve out a different future for himself.
Cionel Pérez served as the opener for last Tuesday’s wacky game against the Royals and was one of the only pitchers not to be scored upon in a game that ended with double-digit run totals for both teams. Unfortunately the pitcher everyone will remember from that infamous affair is Matt Seelinger, who made his big league debut under very tough circumstances. Due to the ineffectiveness of Senga, Warren, and Brazobán, Seelinger came into a tie game the Mets had once led by a significant margin and got shelled in the seventh to the tune of seven runs and still had to go back out for another inning afterwards. Seelinger was designated for assignment after the game, but remains in the organization after clearing waivers. Cionel Pérez’s month of July so far has consisted of two good outings sandwiched between two poor ones. In Toronto, Pérez gave up four runs of insurance to the Blue Jays in the rubber game, effectively sealing the Mets’ fate. He then bounced back to pitch 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Peralta in Atlanta and served effectively as the opener ahead of Senga, but then in the series opener against the Red Sox, Pérez gave up two insurance runs in the ninth, only managing to record the first two outs before needing to be bailed out.
Xzavion Curry—one of the many new names on this meter—came in to record the final out of the ninth inning on Friday night. Curry also appeared in last Wednesday’s 6-2 victory over the Royals and allowed a run in the ninth, but luckily the Mets had broken out for a five-run eighth and he had a large lead to work with.
Joey Gerber was also back in the majors during this 13-game span. Freshly recalled from Triple-A, he appeared in the two losses the Mets took in Toronto, though neither was his fault. In the series opener, he pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning with two strikeouts to keep the Mets within a run and then in the Canada Day series finale, he threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings before Pérez imploded. Things went less well for Gerber on Independence Day when he came into an already lopsided game and gave up three runs before Luis Torrens spared the rest of the bullpen by recording the final out of the laugher. Gerber was then optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse.
Sean Manaea took the loss on July 4th in Atlanta, though he was far from the only culprit. Manaea gave up six runs in five innings of work, but only three of those runs were earned because of the comically bad defense the Mets played, including a miscommunication between Tyrone Taylor and Francisco Lindor that resulted in the ball evading both of them and the bases clearing. Manaea’s other two starts in the past two weeks were much better, though the Mets playing poor defense remained a theme across all three starts. In the series opener in Toronto, George Springer was credited with a triple on his Little League home run because the ball never touched Soto’s glove, but Soto’s miscue absolutely cost Manaea and the Mets a run, even though it goes on the ledger as earned. That was one of two runs Manaea gave up in 5 2/3 innings of work, striking out four and walking two. He took the tough luck loss on a day the Mets only scored one run. After two straight losses, he did finally earn a win against the Royals with a quality start in which he gave up just three runs—only two of them earned (thanks to the stellar Mets defense again)—in seven innings of work. He struck out six and walked only one in that outing.
Nolan McLean went through a rough patch, but has been a lot better lately. He pitched six shutout innings against the Blue Jays in the second game of that series and the only game the Mets won. He struck out seven in the outing and walked only two while scattering five hits. In fact, he gave up exactly five hits in each of his three starts in the past two weeks and all three were quality starts. He earned another win on July 5 in Atlanta in which the Mets hung on to win by the skin of their teeth. He gave up three runs—only two earned—in six innings of work, striking out five batters and walking one. But alas, he fell to .500 again on Friday despite a good outing. He gave up two runs, but neither of them were earned. Over six innings, he struck out seven and walked only two. But the Red Sox pulled away in the late innings.
Luke Weaver continues to be nothing short of spectacular—the lone shining light of stability in a bullpen full of meltdowns, blown saves, and a revolving door of new faces. Weaver pitched a scoreless eighth inning in relief of McLean in Toronto, earning his tenth hold of the season. He then pitched on back-to-back days in Atlanta; he pitched a scoreless eighth inning on July 5 before the Mets took the lead in the ninth, only to nearly give it all back in the bottom of the inning. The next day he earned his first save of the season, working around two walks to hold the Braves to just the one run in the bottom of the tenth (scored by the ghost runner) to seal the victory. He also pitched as scoreless eighth inning in relief of Zack Thornton on Sunday before things went south for Devin Williams. Weaver ends the first half with a 1.85 ERA.
Brooks Raley took the loss on Sunday for giving up one unearned run in the tenth on a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly that scored the ghost runner. It was tough luck for Raley, who did his job, but the Mets were unable to do even the bare minimum in the bottom of the inning to keep the game going, so a loss on his ledger it was. Raley bounced back after a rough patch to end his first half on a high note. Tied for the most appearances of any Mets reliever over this 13-game span with six, Raley didn’t give up an earned run across 5 1/3 total innings of work in those appearances. Raley pitched a scoreless seventh in relief of McLean in Toronto to set the stage for Weaver and Williams. He also appeared in both victories in Atlanta with a scoreless seventh in relief of McLean again last Sunday. The next day after Williams blew the save in the ninth, Raley recorded a key final out to help send the game to extra innings and ultimately earned the win for doing so. Future Mets Sporcle answer Guillo Zuñiga appeared in that game as well, pitching a scoreless eighth inning and being thanked by being designated for assignment the next day. He was outrighted to Triple-A and is still in the organization. Raley earned another win for a scoreless eighth last Wednesday against the Royals, as the Mets went on to have a big inning in the bottom of the frame to take a commanding lead. Finally, Raley appeared in both Saturday and Sunday’s games against the Red Sox, contributing a scoreless innings to each of those ultimately losing efforts.
A.J. Minter, another lefty on an expiring contract and potential trade piece for the Mets, appeared in six games in the final two weeks of the first half as well. He pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings to finish off the Canada Day game in Toronto. He gave up a solo homer to Matt Olson in the series opener in Atlanta, but then rebounded to contribute a scoreless inning to the extra-inning victory in the finale. He pitched the ninth inning of the insane series opener against the Royals and his hitless frame stuck out like a sore thumb amongst a box score otherwise full of crooked numbers. He then appeared in each of the first two games in the Red Sox series and had mixed results. In the series opener, he gave up a two-run homer to Anthony Seigler in the seventh in relief of McLean that ultimately sealed that game. But the next day he pitched a scoreless sixth with two strikeouts despite the Mets being shut out that day.
Christian Scott finished out a solid first half with a so-so start and a good one. In Atlanta, he lasted just four innings, giving up three runs and taking the loss. He struck out an impressive seven batters in that outing, but walked four. He followed that up with five shutout innings against the Royals in which he gave up just three hits, striking out five and walking one.
I hate to end on a bad note, but I think the Mets broke Tobias Myers, who gets poop emoji’d again. Scott didn’t earn the win for his five shutout innings because Myers blew the tenuous one-run lead in that game in the sixth. But he did come back out for the seventh and worked around a leadoff double to keep the game tied and the Mets would go on to win thanks to a big eighth inning. Myers pitched the final two innings of Saturday’s game against the Red Sox and they doubled their lead against him; Masataka Yoshida hit a two-run homer. It didn’t very much matter since the Mets were shut out that day, but Myers continues to struggle, his role moving forward uncertain. He was optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse after the outing and will begin the second half in the minors.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 01: An exterior view of PPG Paints Arena before the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 1, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced the end of their longtime agreement and affiliation with the Wheeling Nailers.
The announcement was released Thursday afternoon and Kyle Dubas said in a statement that the team is grateful for the Nailers being partners with the Penguins for the last 29 years.
“It is only because of very unique circumstances that we must say goodbye at this time,” the statement read.
“The Nailers have run a first-class operation for many years, and any organization would be fortunate to have them as an affiliate,” the team’s statement read.
The Pittsburgh Penguins announce end to long and successful ECHL affiliation agreement with the Wheeling Nailers. pic.twitter.com/i4QigXbJWO
“We wish the city of Wheeling, the Nailers, and all of their fans continued success as a great ECHL franchise,” the statement read. “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you Wheeling.”
It’s unclear when an official announcement might be made to confirm the team’s new partnership with the Florida Everblades.
Like many teams, Toronto rolled out a humorous social media video to announce its schedule. As part of the skit, two Leafs employees sorted through a fictional lost-and-found, cataloguing items supposedly left behind by other NHL teams before shipping them back.
The collection included plenty of familiar stereotypes, including Buffalo wing sauce for the Sabres, steamies for the Canadiens, and a bag of clam chowder for the Bruins.
But when it came time to reveal the Leafs' games against Ottawa, the item pulled from the lost-and-found was Brady Tkachuk's podcast microphone, still attached to its boom arm.
One of the actors asked, "Do you think we have to send this to Florida now instead?" before slapping a Panthers sticker over top of the Senators logo on the shipping box.
It was a playful jab in the Battle of Ontario, but the Leafs probably could have gone much harder.
After all, just eight days ago, Daniel Alfredsson, the greatest player in Senators history, left Ottawa to join Toronto's coaching staff. Mocking that move might have stung even more than chirping the Sens about Tkachuk's exit. But perhaps the video had already been completed by then.
In any event, the Leafs won the social media exchange on Thursday, but the games that matter begin on Oct. 3, when Toronto hosts Ottawa in the Senators' season opener.
This former Colorado Avalanche goaltender is heading back to Russia.
Ivan Prosvetov has signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, ending his latest stint in North America after spending the 2025-26 season with the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL.
While his time in the Avalanche organization was relatively short, Prosvetov became an important depth piece during a season when Colorado’s goaltending situation was suddenly tested.
The Avalanche acquired Prosvetov off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes in October 2023 after veteran backup Pavel Francouz was sidelined with an injury. At the time, Colorado needed insurance behind Alexandar Georgiev, and Prosvetov quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff.
The 27-year-old made his Avalanche debut on Oct. 26, 2023, replacing Georgiev in a loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Just days later, he received his first NHL start and delivered one of the best moments of his brief Colorado tenure, stopping 28 shots in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
With Francouz eventually ruled out for the remainder of the season, Prosvetov stepped into the backup role behind Georgiev. He appeared in 11 games for the Avalanche, earning four wins while providing Colorado with stability during a difficult stretch.
However, as the season progressed, his opportunities became limited. After the All-Star break, the Avalanche placed Prosvetov on waivers and assigned him to the Colorado Eagles.
The move ended up being a turning point.
Prosvetov immediately found his confidence in the AHL, putting together a dominant run with the Eagles. He won eight straight games, earned AHL Player of the Week honors and was recognized as the league’s Goaltender of the Month in February.
He remained with the Eagles through the remainder of the season before returning to the Avalanche as a playoff reserve.
After leaving Colorado, Prosvetov continued his career overseas, signing with CSKA Moscow in the KHL for the 2024-25 season. He later returned to North America with the Calgary Wranglers, where he posted an .887 save percentage last season.
Now, he is making another trip back to Russia to continue his career with Avangard Omsk.
The move is unlikely to have a major impact on the Avalanche’s current plans in net, but Prosvetov remains an interesting “what if” from Colorado’s recent past.
He showed flashes of being a reliable NHL goaltender during his time with the Avalanche, but consistency and opportunity ultimately determined his path. Now, he’ll look to continue his career overseas and carve out a new chapter in the KHL.
