The Mammoth Are Closer Than Ever, But Major Questions Remain

One postseason appearance changed everything, and now the Utah Mammoth face the kind of offseason that could determine whether they're simply an exciting young team—or the NHL's next legitimate powerhouse.

A Playoff Breakthrough Changes The Conversation

Expectations surrounding Utah entering the 2025-26 season were modest at best.

The foundation was certainly intriguing. Clayton Keller remained the offensive catalyst, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther continued developing into stars, Nick Schmaltz provided veteran production, and Mikhail Sergachev anchored the blue line. But with the Central Division loaded from top to bottom and several young players still finding their footing, most believed another year of growth would be necessary before playoff hockey became realistic.

Instead, the Mammoth accelerated the timeline.

General manager Bill Armstrong aggressively strengthened the roster, acquiring J.J. Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres and adding veteran defenseman Mackenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames without sacrificing a first-round pick in either deal. Those moves transformed Utah into one of the league's biggest surprises, finishing 43-33-6 and punching a ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The opportunity was there for an even deeper run.

After grabbing a 2-1 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights, Utah looked poised for an upset before consecutive overtime defeats completely shifted the momentum. The Mammoth ultimately exited in six games, but the series proved something important: this team is much closer than many expected.

Now comes the difficult part—deciding whether it's time to push all of the chips to the middle.

The Next Wave Could Arrive Sooner Than Expected

Few organizations possess the type of high-end prospect depth Utah currently enjoys.

Tij Iginla appears ready to make the jump after dominating the WHL with the Kelowna Rockets. The sixth overall selection from the 2024 NHL Draft exploded for 41 goals and 90 points in just 48 games while finishing with an eye-popping plus-47 rating. His offensive instincts are obvious, but his commitment away from the puck may be what earns him NHL minutes immediately.

Caleb Desnoyers isn't far behind.

The fourth overall pick in 2025 produced 22 goals and 78 points across 45 games, showcasing the creativity and hockey IQ that made him one of the premier prospects in his draft class. At 173 pounds, additional strength would certainly benefit him, but his talent is difficult to ignore.

Utah suddenly finds itself with an enviable problem.

If one—or both—young centers prove capable of sticking in training camp, the organization could dramatically reshape its lineup while injecting another wave of speed and skill into an already dangerous forward group.

Tough Contract Decisions Will Shape Utah's Future

Cap space provides flexibility, but difficult choices still await.

With roughly $14.2 million available, Armstrong must determine which pending unrestricted free agents remain part of the organization's long-term vision.

Kailer Yamamoto made a compelling late-season case. After settling into a top-six role, he recorded nine points over his final 13 games, including the playoffs, bringing energy and secondary scoring exactly when Utah needed it most. A projected contract near $1.8 million makes a reunion financially appealing, assuming the organization believes his late surge is sustainable.

Kevin Stenlund offers value in different ways.

His offensive totals won't dominate headlines, but a 54.2 percent faceoff success rate and league-leading shorthanded ice time made him one of Utah's most trusted defensive forwards. With projections placing his next contract around $1.4 million, retaining him would preserve an important piece of the penalty kill.

Alex Kerfoot presents a more complicated decision.

Limited to just 34 games because of injuries, the versatile forward produced only 13 points and is expected to command more than $3.3 million annually. His ability to play multiple positions remains valuable, but with organizational depth growing down the middle, Utah must determine whether that price fits its long-term blueprint.

Is Barrett Hayton Part Of The Long-Term Plan?

Perhaps no player presents a more fascinating offseason decision than Barrett Hayton.

When healthy, the center consistently impacts games with relentless forechecking, responsible defensive play, and dependable two-way effort. The problem has been availability. Since 2021-22, his career has alternated between mostly healthy campaigns and seasons interrupted by lengthy absences.

Now arbitration eligible, Hayton is projected by AFP Analytics to earn north of $5.3 million annually on his next contract.

That's where the conversation becomes interesting.

With Iginla and Desnoyers pushing toward NHL jobs and Utah already possessing significant depth down the middle, Hayton could emerge as one of the organization's most valuable trade assets. His age, defensive reliability, and untapped offensive upside would undoubtedly attract interest across the league.

Whether Armstrong chooses continuity or leverages that value to strengthen the wings could become one of the defining decisions of Utah's offseason.

After exceeding expectations and announcing themselves as a legitimate playoff team, the Mammoth are no longer chasing relevance—they're trying to build a roster capable of contending for the Stanley Cup every single year.

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Yankees-Red Sox postponed due to severe storm with makeup doubleheader set for August

Yankee Stadium field covered by a tarp, indicating a rain delay, with stadium lights on and scoreboards displaying an announcement that the game will not start on time.
The Yankees' game against the Red Sox on June 6 was rained out.

The Yankees got a potential victory Saturday night without taking the field.

Their game against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium was postponed because of storms and rescheduled as part of a split-doubleheader on Aug. 29 — which gives them a chance to have Aaron Judge in the lineup if he is back from a stress fracture in his rib by then.

The Yankees’ game against the Red Sox on June 6 was rained out. Imagn Images

The skies opened up around the time first pitch was scheduled for Saturday night (7:35 p.m.) and Aaron Boone said the way the forecast looked, they likely would not have been able to start the game until at least 10:30 p.m.

Now, this will just be a two-game series, and the Yankees will stick with Cam Schlittler for Sunday’s finale and bump Will Warren (initially scheduled to pitch Saturday night) back to Monday’s game against the Guardians.

The Red Sox will start Ranger Suarez, who was scheduled to pitch Saturday night, instead of another lefty, Connelly Early.

Saturday's Yankees-Red Sox game postponed due to inclement weather

Saturday's game between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox has been postponed due to inclement weather.

It will be made up as the first game of a split-admission doubleheader on Saturday, Aug. 29, starting at 1:05 p.m.

The originally scheduled 7:35 p.m. game was initially delayed because of thunderstorms in the area, but the plan was for the game to get underway once the thunderstorms passed. 

However, just over an hour after the delayed start announcement, the game was called.

Right-hander Will Warren, who was set to take the mound for New York before the postponement, will now pitch in the first game of the Cleveland Guardians series on Monday night. Meanwhile, righty Cam Schlittler will still make his scheduled start in Sunday's series finale.

Colorado Rockies vs. Milwaukee Brewers game thread: Jacob Misiorowski vs. Zach Agnos

DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 31: Zach Agnos #36 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on May 31, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After a promising start yesterday, things took a turn for the worse for the Colorado Rockies, as the Milwaukee Brewers jumped on Colorado’s bullpen late to take the game to extras and earn a decisive win.

Not to paint a picture of doom and gloom, but Game 2 of the series won’t get any easier since the Rockies have a date with Jacob Misiorowski, who is dominating the league in several categories.

The Rockies have already faced their fair share of top pitchers in 2026, and, sadly, the results in those matchups have not been great. Looking across this season’s pitching leaders and other big names, Colorado has already taken on the likes of Paul Skenes (3-1 loss), Shohei Ohtani (4-1 loss), Cristopher Sánchez (6-0 loss), Chris Sale (9-1 loss), and Chase Burns (7-2 loss).

Misiorowski, by the numbers, will be the toughest hurdle the Rockies hitters will have faced so far.

The Miz leads MLB in strikeouts (108), WHIP (0.79), and batting average against (.150). He’s second in the league in ERA (1.65) and has been stingy with hits (just 37) and home runs (four) allowed across 12 games. Conversely, the streaky Rockies offense is tied for fifth-worst in strikeouts, so Misiorowski could prove to be a tough nut to crack.

Misiorowski is currently on a streak of five straight quality starts. In his last, a 2-0 win over the Houston Astros, he went seven innings with three hits and eight strikeouts. He’s relied primarily on his utterly dominant four-seam fastball (63% usage, averaging a whopping 99.9 MPH), but has effectively mixed in a slider, curveball, cutter, and changeup.

Heading into this morning, there was some uncertainty around Colorado’s plans for the evening’s pitching. The probable starter for the Rockies, Tanner Gordon, has joined the army of players on the injured list. It has since been announced that Zach Agnos will get the start.

Agnos last started against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 21st, pitching five scoreless innings and giving up just one hit with four strikeouts. Since then, however, he returned to the bullpen and has fared much worse. He’s given up 14 runs across his last two relief appearances, giving up seven runs on six hits in two innings to the Los Angeles Dodgers and another seven runs on seven hits in only one inning against the San Francisco Giants.

Runs may come at a premium for the Rockies offense against the flamethrower on the mound. Agnos will need to return to form and show the promise he flashed in his lone start that has been missing in his relief appearances for Colorado to stay in the game.

First Pitch: 7:10 pm MDT

TV: Rockies.TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

BrewersSB Nation Site: Brew Crew Ball

Lineups:


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A’s Fall To Astros 13-2

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Kade Morris #67 of the Athletics pitches in his MLB debut against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park on June 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Not a good day at the park. The good guys fell this afternoon, falling to the division rival Houston Astros 13-2 in the middle game of the series.

More to come…

Knicks enforcing no-bag policy, ‘TSA-style’ security at NBA Finals Game 3 with Trump’s expected attendance

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Donald Trump, Image 2 shows Knicks fans outside MSG at Game 2 watch party, Image 3 shows Jalen Brunson host the Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night
Knicks Game 3 MSG

The Knicks are keeping security tight for their first NBA Finals home game in 27 years.

The team announced Saturday a slew of rules they will enforce Monday night at the Garden, including a “strict no-bag policy,” along with “TSA-style” security measures ahead of NBA Finals Game 3.

The Knicks suggest fans show up at least two hours before the 8:30 p.m. tip-off to ensure they are at their seats on time for the start of the first quarter.

“A strict no-bag policy will be in effect, and fans should make every effort to limit personal items to an absolute minimum,” the team wrote. “Fans should expect enhanced security measures when entering Madison Square Garden, including TSA-style screening procedures. Guests are strongly encouraged to arrive at least two hours before tip-off to allow additional time for screening and entry.”

Jalen Brunson host the Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

There is also a recommendation for fans to look at the Secret Service website for a list of prohibited items.

The Garden typically allows bags that fit under one’s seat but do not exceed 22 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches, per the arena’s website.

The game, already historic enough for a sporting event, is also expected to see President Donald Trump among the attendees.

After The Post first reported earlier this week that Trump was going to come to the World’s Most Famous Arena, the commander in chief confirmed the news.

Knicks fans outside MSG at Game 2 watch party. Aristide Economopoulos for NY Post

It’s the first time a sitting president will attend an NBA Finals game.

“[The Knicks] find a way to do it,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “They’re really great, a great team. I’m happy for [Knicks owner] Jim [Dolan] because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team.”

President Donald Trump is attending NBA Finals Game 3 at MSG. WireImage

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that he’s excited for Trump’s attendance and spoke to the president’s bona fides as a Knicks fan well before he took office.

“We’re seeing that in New York, and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I’m thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knick team,” Silver said this week. 

The Knicks, after thrilling wins in Games 1 and 2, hold a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Spurs as they look to clinch their first NBA championship since 1973 on home court.

Brayden McNabb injury update: Golden Knights D playing after scary incident

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb is playing in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday, June 6, after a scary Game 2 injury.

He is wearing a full cage and is in the starting lineup. He received a huge cheer from the Vegas crowd when introduced.

McNabb was hit in the visor by Nikolaj Ehlers' hard shot during Thursday's Game 2 and dropped to the ice. He went to the dressing room while grabbing his face and was taken to the hospital, according to ABC. He was able to fly home with the team on Friday.

He played a little more than five minutes before being hurt in Game 2 but is averaging nearly 20 minutes a game in the playoffs. He's known more for his defense and penalty killing, but had three assists in the Golden Knights' Game 1 win.

Brayden McNabb stats in first period

He played 11 shifts for a little less than eight minutes, tops on the Golden Knights for the period. One shot on net, one missed shot, another one was blocked. No blocked shots himself.

"He's one of a kind," captain Mark Stone told ABC about McNabb's ability to return.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brayden McNabb playing in Game 3 after scary Game 2 injury

Yankees catcher Austin Wells placed on IL; J.C. Escarra recalled

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 05: Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees in action against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on June 05, 2026 in New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 5-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In a surprising move, the Yankees placed Austin Wells on the injured list just ahead of Saturday’s soon-to-be-postponed with the Boston Red Sox. To replace Wells, the choice to fill in as the backup catcher is J.C. Escarra, returning to the big league club one day after getting sent down in favor of righty-hitting Ali Sánchez, who now might well take the bulk of the workload behind the dish — or at least a platoon split with the lefty Escarra.

Wells hits the shelf with what’s diagnosed as cervical headaches, potentially an issue that he has been dealing with for a while in what’s been up to this point a terrible campaign for the 26-year-old. Normally a very serviceable hitter behind the plate, especially adjusting for his position, Wells hit the IL with a .533 OPS, the worst among Yankee regulars.

Due to the nature of this IL replacement, it’s difficult to put a specific timeline on Wells’ return, and almost regardless of it, catcher remains a place the Yankees might look to improve at the deadline, even if midseason catcher trades are generally rare these days. Although Escarra was (very) recently with the big league club, he had scuffled for much of the season as well, batting .177 in 62 at-bats.

Here’s hoping that Wells’ injury isn’t too scary and he can safely recover. It’s a painful diagnosis.

Manny Machado gives compelling, honest answer about Nick Castellanos

Earlier this week, the San Diego Padres’ lineup took a major twist as the club decided to designate Nick Castellanos for assignment and release him two days later.

Before Friday night’s 5-0 loss to the New York Mets, Manny Machado met with reporters and talked about how the clubhouse was disappointed with the departure of Castellanos.

Earlier this week, the San Diego Padres’ lineup took a major twist as the club decided to designate Nick Castellanos for assignment and release him two days later. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Before Friday night’s 5-0 loss to the New York Mets, Manny Machado met with reporters and talked about how the clubhouse was disappointed with the departure of Castellanos.

“The news got everybody by surprise,” Machado said. “I don’t really try to put myself in a [General Manager’s] shoes and why they’re doing the decisions. Obviously, we just care about Nick and what he meant to us in the clubhouse.”

Over the offseason, Castellanos was released by the Philadelphia Phillies and quickly signed with the Padres on a 1-year deal of $780,000.

Because Castellanos was originally released by the Phillies in the offseason, his release will only cost San Diego $296,141 due to his prior deal of $20 million.

Castellanos’ release comes after a poor start to the 2026 season, where he had a .560 OPS, with 4 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 34 strikeouts.

Castellanos’ release comes after a poor start to the 2026 season, where he had a .560 OPS, with 4 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 34 strikeouts. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

His struggles at the plate were due to offspeed pitches and breaking balls.

Last year, he was hitting .283 against offspeed pitches but this year he declined to .063 average. Against breaking balls, he had another drop, hitting .220 last season and now hitting .171 this season.

The Padres’ lineup has struggled this year, ranking as one of the worst in baseball in almost every hitting category. The reality was that San Diego needed to find ways to get better, even if that meant cutting ties with favorites in the locker room.


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Machado said that Castellanos was a favorite in the clubhouse and was a teammate he will remember forever. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Machado said that Castellanos was a favorite in the clubhouse and was a teammate he will remember forever.

“He was awesome,” Machado said. “He had some really big at-bats for us, and I think those memories won’t go away. He did a lot of good things for us.”

While it’s been less than a week since Castellanos was released, Machado added that he hasn’t spoken to him yet but plans to in the future.

“I think [that’s] tough news when you hear it,” Machado said. “I kinda want to give him his time before we wanna talk and see where his head is at.”

Diamondbacks 1, Washington 6: At Least It Was Quick

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 06: LuJames Groover #16 of the Arizona Diamondbacks runs to third base after hitting an RBI single against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Chase Field on June 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Groover advanced to third base on a fielding error by Jacob Young #30 of the Washington Nationals. It was Groover's first career MLB hit and RBI. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On paper, we should have won this game. On paper, Eduardo Rodriguez is a vastly superior pitcher to Zack Littell, the well-traveled journeyman who took the mound for Washington this afternoon on Corbin Carroll Mystery Bobblehead Day. Of course, baseball game aren’t played on paper, and before he’d even recorded his first out of the game, everyone’s favorite hologram had already given the Nationals their margin of victory.

Hologram Eddie didn’t look sharp to start off—his pitches weren’t landing where he wanted them. Either he was missing badly or leaving pitches in bad places, and for the second game in a row the leadoff batter reached, and was driven in by a dinger that went over the fence. Today it was a James Wood bloop single to left, followed by a Curtis Mead homer over the wall in left center. He then walked old Diamondbacks farmhand Andres Chaparro on five pitches, before LuJames Groover bailed him out by starting a nice 3-6 double play off the bat of CJ Abrams, and then catching a Dylan Crews pop up in foul territory. 2-0 Washington

To be fair, ERod settled in after that, pitching around a leadoff single to start the second and recording outs to the next eleven he faced, and fourteen of the next fifteen. Not too shabby after the rocky start to the first inning.

Meanwhile, our offense was unable to do anything against Littell, who was perfect through 3 2/3 innings before plunking Gabriel Moreno with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. His no-hit bid ended when Pavin Smith singled to lead off the fifth, and the shutout bid ended two outs later when LuJames Groover, in his sixth plate appearance in a major league game, hit a blooper to shallow center that rolled past Nationals center fielder Jacob Young and went to the wall. Initially I hoped it would be a triple, but it was scored as a single and a two-base error on Young, but it gave the young man his first big league hit and his first RBI as well, as Pavin Smith came around to score:

Tommy Tory then walked, but Ketel Marte rolled over on a grounder to second on the first pitch he saw, so Groover didn’t get to score his first run in the bigs. Great job, Ketel. 2-1 Washington

And that was it for the offense. Entirely. Well, except for a Corbin Carroll walk to lead off the bottom of the sixth, but that was promptly erased by Moreno rolling over to second for a double play. Great job, Gabi. After that, we didn’t have another baserunner.

Meanwhile, ERod pitched a clean sixth, and with only (?!) 85 pitches thrown, Torey Lovullo sent him out to start the seventh. That was a mistake, as the first pitch he threw went over left field fence, and after recording an out, he gave up a triple to center. Great job, Torey. Juan Morillo came in from the bullpen, was greeted by a squeeze bunt for which his only play was to first, so two more runs were in. 4-1 Washington

Jonathan Loaisiga pitched a scoreless eighth, and Drey Jameson, just up from Reno, gave up two more in the top of the ninth, to bring us to our final score of 6-1 Washington, because, as noted above, the offense couldn’t produce even another baserunner. Boo. Hiss.

Loss Probability Added, courtesy of FanGraphs

Tiny Little Bright Spot: LuJames Groover (3 AB, 1 H, 1 RBI, +9% WPA)
Holographic Dimness: Eduardo Rodriguez (6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, -10% WPA)
Total Eclipse: The Rest of the Offense (25 AB, 0 H, 1 BB, 5 K, -47% WPA)

The Gameday Thread Diamondbacks vs. Nationals Discussion was sparsely attended again today, and again it was probably just as well, given the product the team put on the field, with a less than whopping 146 comments at time of writing. Precious few went what now passes for Sedona Red, and I’m departing from “popular acclaim,” such as it was, to give this one to AZNailgal520 for shouting out one of our number who could not be with us today and also capturing pretty perfectly the vibe of the whole sad undertaking that was this ballgame:

So we will try to avoid the sweep tomorrow, and if you are willing to pay the Peacock streaming service for the privilege, you can watch the festivities starting at 12 noon AZ time, as Michael Soroka takes the ball for us and Curt Cavalli goes for Washington. We don’t have Peacock, so if I “watch” at all it will be with the MLB Gameday open in a browser tab. But I hope some of you can join us, if you dare, because otherwise it will be a sad and lonely Gameday Thread Diamondbacks vs. Nationals Discussion for whoever is doing the guest recap tomorrow.

As always, thanks for reading, and as always, go Diamondbacks!

Yankees, Red Sox in rain delay on Saturday night

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 4: A rainbow appears during a rain delay at Yankee Stadium during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees on August 4, 2024, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees are in a bit of an odd state heading into play on Saturday against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. They already know that they’re going to be without Aaron Judge for at least the better part of two months (if not more) due to a stress fracture in his rib. They’ve lost four of their last six games, including a home series loss to the Guardians that saw the AL Central leaders rough up two previously unflustered aces in Cam Schlittler and Gerrit Cole. They lost the series opener against Boston last night thanks to some gopher-ball antics from Ryan Weathers and some defense and approaches at the plate that certainly left fans wanting.

The latest weirdness includes the catching situation. They’ve received very little production at the plate from the Austin Wells/J.C. Escarra tandem, and they decided to demote Escarra after last night’s game, seemingly with the desire to at least get a right-handed hitter in there in former big leaguer Ali Sánchez. He will start behind the plate on Saturday night. Then at 6:45pm ET — a little under an hour before first pitch — they reactivated Escarra because Wells needs to go on the IL with cervical headaches that sound downright painful, per the Cleveland Clinic. What a joy.

Oh, and the relish on top of this bizarre sandwich is that there are thunderstorms in the Tri-State Area and the game won’t begin on time. The Yankees announced this at about the same time as the Wells IL move, and they confirmed the rain delay at 7:17pm ET. Reports indicate that they expect to play before too long and that the storms will pass soon, but that’s where we are.

Hang in there and take care of yourself, especially if you’re dealing with neck pain like Wells.

Update

They banged it. The doubleheader won’t be until August though, they’ll just have a normal game tomorrow.

Darren Pang Reacts To Dylan Larkin's Reported Trade Request From Red Wings

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On Thursday afternoon, a major report from NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman indicating that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade began making the rounds on social media. 

Multiple NHL Insiders have discussed the major shift in Larkin's future aspirations, which he said as recently as late April were wanting to get the Red Wings over the hump and back into Stanley Cup contention. 

In the meantime, there have been no official confirmations from Larkin or his representation, or from GM Steve Yzerman. 

Yzerman's good friend Darren Pang is now reacting to the reported trade request from Larkin, and harkened back to the mid-90s when rumors circulated that Yzerman himself was on the verge of being traded to the Ottawa Senators. 

“I mean, very interesting that it came out the way that it came out,” Pang said while appearing on The Daily Faceoff Live podcast. “My hope would be that it came out internally first, that he and his agent wrote to Steve Yzerman and, at this particular point, I remember Steve — 22 years being a captain — and with Mr. I and Mrs. I, they were very close friends. Just their relationship. And I know there was one point in Steve's career where there was a possibility of moving Steve to Ottawa for Alexei Yashin." 

Dylan Larkin's Reported Trade Request Marks a Dramatic Reversal From His April StanceDylan Larkin's Reported Trade Request Marks a Dramatic Reversal From His April StanceThe reported trade request by Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is a complete 180 of what he said in late April after the season came to a close.

“But Mr. I pulled him aside, with respect, and asked him if it's something he'd want to do. They hadn't won a Stanley Cup in 13 years before he won his first Stanley Cup in Detroit, and with all the respect between the two, he said no, and he wanted to stay part of the equation and win in Detroit. That's what ended up happening." 

Pang expressed his hope that Larkin had contacted both Yzerman and the Red Wings ownership before this request was made public. 

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“What I'm saying is that I'm hoping that Dylan Larkin's first call was to Steve Yzerman, and then his next call was hopefully to Chris or Marian Ilitch to say why," Pang said. "Because if this is false reporting, which it doesn't sound like it is, that would have been awful."

Pang then concluded by saying he was somewhat taken aback by Larkin's reported trade request considering his Michigan roots and previous open statements of wanting to lead Detroit back to Stanley Cup contention. 

“But if it's the legitimate side of it and Dylan Larkin doesn't want to continue in his home state of Michigan with all the growth they've done and all the battling they've done together, I gotta tell you, I'm a little surprised," Pang said. "I would think that he would do what Steve did way back when and say, ‘I'm going to put this team on my shoulders and say we're going to win right here, and I'm going to be a Michigan-born captain and be the guy that leads this team here.’

“To me, it's a little surprising because there are a lot of great parts in Detroit. I don't think that they're that far off; they've proven that........I thought the next moment would be leading the Detroit Red Wings to the playoffs and then eventually hunting down the Stanley Cup in years to come.

But it doesn't look like that's going to happen if this ends up being legitimate.”

Larkin currently ranks 10th all-time in total Red Wings scoring with 643 points in 808 career NHL games. 

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Manny Machado goes scorched earth on analytics during his brutal Padres season: ‘Too many stats out there’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows San Diego Padres third baseman Manny MacHado (13) hits a two RBI home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park, Image 2 shows Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres walks back to the dugout as Bo Bichette #19 and Marcus Semien #10 of the New York Mets celebrate after defeating the Friars at Petco Park on Friday, June 5, 2026 in San Diego, California
Manny Machado

Manny Machado might think “Moneyball” is fool’s gold.

The seven-time All-Star third baseman is in the middle of what is — so far — his worst season in the major leagues.

And on Friday night, after a 1-for-4 game that included grounding into a double play in a 5-0 loss to the Mets, Machado took the opportunity to go off on the state of baseball and what he perceives as an over-reliance on analytics.

“The game’s evolving, man. It’s definitely getting harder to play. It’s definitely getting more strategic,” Machado told reporters after the Padres’ 10th loss in the last 11 games. “I just wish we can get the analytics out of the way. I think there’s too many stats out there. Too many stats, way too many numbers. I don’t even know half of the stuff that goes up there. I look at the board sometimes, and I even ask some of the guys, like, ‘What is WCCVBB, whatever it is? What are these names that are being created?’

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) hits a two RBI home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I mean, it’s just crazy to even keep up with.”

Machado, a three-time Silver Slugger winner, has seen his more traditional, back-of-the-baseball-card stats hit new lows.

Through 60 games, he’s hitting .175/.262/.355 with a 73 OPS+ — all of which would be career lows if the season ended today.

His advanced stats, whether or not he’s looked, have painted a slightly better picture (his hard rate still ranks in the 66th percentile), but his expected batting average an slugging are both below career norms.

The Padres, even at 32-30, have disappointed so far this season for a team that came in with high expectations.

On top of Machado’s struggles, Fernando Tatis Jr. only hit his first home run of the season on May 30 in what has been an inexplicable power outage.

Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres walks back to the dugout as Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien of the New York Mets celebrate after defeating the Friars at Petco Park on Friday, June 5, 2026 in San Diego, California. The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images

Machado said baseball still boils down to one thing as the Padres look to get their season back on track.

“At the end of the day, it’s about competing,” he added, according to The Athletic.

“You got to go out there and compete and take away all those analytics, take everything you could possibly think of, and go out there and try to catch the ball and make more outs, right?

Guardians at Rangers, Bibee vs. Leiter discussion

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 04: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 04, 2026 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Guardians 2-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Let’s hope this one goes better

Yankees place Austin Wells on IL, call up J.C. Escarra one day after demotion in wild catching shuffle

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees J.C. Escarra hitting an RBI single, Image 2 shows Yankees catcher J.C. Escarra and another player celebrate at Yankee Stadium
Austin Wells was placed on the injured list as the Yankees called J.C. Escarra back up.

The state of the Yankees’ catching position has not been good this season, but now it is in flux.

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In a span of 24 hours, the Yankees went from optioning J.C. Escarra to Triple-A and calling up Ali Sánchez to placing Austin Wells on the injured list shortly before Saturday’s game with “cervical headaches” and calling Escarra back up.

When Aaron Boone spoke to reporters two and a half hours before the scheduled first pitch between the Yankees and Red Sox on Saturday, there was no indication that Wells was dealing with something physically, other than him struggling mightily at the plate for most of the season. 

The right-handed hitting Sánchez was in the lineup on Saturday night, but that was believed to be only because the Red Sox were starting lefty Ranger Suárez. 

Austin Wells reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ June 5 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

Now, the Yankees will have to figure out how to split the workload between Sánchez and Escarra while Wells — who had started 45 of the Yankees’ 63 games before Saturday — is on the 10-day IL. 

If the Yankees had known that Wells’ physical issues were serious enough for an IL stint, they presumably would not have gone through the hassle of telling Escarra he was being demoted to Triple-A on Friday night.

J.C. Escarra (r.) is pictured during the Yankees’ May 7 game. Bill Kostroun for the NY Post

“It just felt like, with our catchers struggling a little bit offensively obviously, just felt like the opportunity exists for Ali to get up here and give us a different look, and give J.C. a chance to go down there and play a little more regularly,” Boone had said before the Yankees changed course.

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“There’s some things he’s working on offensively that I really — not only has he already done a great job behind the plate, but I do feel like there’s an offensive player in there at this level. But I think some regular reps down there hopefully will serve him well and hopefully Ali can come up here and provide a little bit of a spark and a different look too.”