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A's acquire catcher Wynns in trade with Reds, DFA right-hander Duran

A's acquire catcher Wynns in trade with Reds, DFA right-hander Duran originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics on Sunday bolstered their catching depth — and offense — by acquiring Austin Wynns in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, the team announced, in exchange for cash considerations.

To clear room on their 40-man roster, the A’s designated right-handed pitcher Carlos Duran for assignment.

Wynns was designated for assignment by the Reds on Friday after hitting .400 (16-for-40) with three home runs, 11 RBI and a 1.142 OPS in 18 games, 11 of which he started at catcher in addition to one start at first base. The seven-year MLB veteran was on Cincinnati’s Opening Day roster after appearing in seven games for them in 2024.

Wynns has played for five teams in the big leagues since 2018, including the Baltimore Orioles (2018-19, 21), San Francisco Giants (2022-23), Los Angeles Dodgers (2023), Colorado Rockies (2023) and Cincinnati (2024-25). The 34-year-old is a .241 career hitter with 16 home runs and 74 RBI in 257 games, with his most extensive playing time coming on the Giants in 2022 when he batted .259 with three home runs and 21 RBI in 66 games.

The A’s acquired Duran from the Dodgers on April 2 for Esteury Ruiz, and the pitcher made his MLB debut with one appearance for the Green and Gold on May 22 against the Los Angeles Angels. The 23-year-old allowed three runs on a hit and three walks in 1/3 innings.

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Mets' Clay Holmes continues RISP dominance: 'I made pitches when I had to'

When you are good at something, it is best to show it off and play to that strength. Of course, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza would probably prefer that starting pitcher Clay Holmes doesn’t make his best attribute too much of a habit.

For Holmes has been elite at stifling opponent batters when there are runners in scoring position, something he did on countless occasions in Saturday’s 8-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. 

"I made pitches when I had to,” Holmes said after holding the Rockies to 0-for-8 with RISP to strand eight men on base over his six innings of one-run ball.

On the year, the right-hander has now allowed just six hits out of 50 such opportunities (.120 average) as his ERA shrunk to 2.95 over his first 73.1 innings with the Mets.

“The biggest thing here at [Denver’s Coors Field], some hits are going to fall in, there's a lot of grass out there,” Holmes said after allowing nine hits in total. “I just knew I couldn’t give out any free passes, and I didn’t hand out any walks. And I was able to get the right kind of contact, swing and miss with runners on base, and gave us a chance there.”

The traffic came early with the Rockies having two on and nobody out in the first inning and again in the third, but Holmes avoided any damage with a couple of strikeouts and a timely double-play ball. That helped give his teammates time to snap out of a 0-for-7 stretch with RISP of their own to grab a lead they didn’t relinquish in the top half of the fifth.

Mendoza said Holmes getting ground balls with men on has been his "calling card." And the starter left that message on four occasions in addition to two strikeouts on Saturday.

“Really, really good,” Mendoza said of his starter’s performance. “From the first inning, first and third nobody out, and they made him work and he got out of it… I thought the sinker was good, the slider and the sweeper… were his pitches.”

Not mentioned was the changeup, which Holmes had used 15 percent of the time (third-most on the year). He threw it just one time out of 96 pitches in the game. That tactical switch came about because the slider, which had been his fourth-most-used pitch, just felt right pregame.

“Pitches can move differently [in the altitude] and really I was just going with what felt good,” Holmes said. “Slider felt good in the bullpen. Sinker did, too. But just threw enough sinkers to really lean on the slider, sweeper. Was able to get some chase on both those pitches.”

For the night, he got nine whiffs from 19 swings on his 27 sliders and six whiffs from 19 swings on 33 sweepers. And on the 30 sinkers, he got just one whiff on 12 swings, but 10 called strikes.

He added later: “Really, it’s not trying to do too much here. You just execute your pitches, don't try to overthrow. You give yourself a chance.”

For the closer-turned-starter, there was a doubt whether he would be able to give the Mets length, especially after pitching in several high-traffic, high-stress innings in the Mile High City. But Mendoza decided to send Holmes out for the sixth inning with the Mets up 4-1.

“Definitely started to add up,” Holmes said. “Pitching here as a reliever, you don't really feel [the altitude] a ton, but I started to hit that 70 pitch mark and I was like, 'Man, this feels like I’m at 100.’”

“After five, the altitude and all the [pitches], I thought he was pretty tired,” the manager said. “But for him to finish that sixth, even with two guys got on, was good to see him getting comfortable, finding a way to get the job done and giving us solid six innings.”

Through 13 starts on the year, Holmes said he feels like he’s in a “great spot” in his new role.

“Bouncing back well, feel like we got some routine dialed in,” he said. “Feels nice to throw at least six innings. I feel like I've been able to establish that. How I'm using my pitches, how to get deep into games.

“... Just continue to lean on the trainers, strength coaches, nutritionists. They do a lot and feel like we’ve put a lot of things together that's working for me.”

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Mets' Ronny Mauricio shows off ‘impressive’ power with mammoth home run

Ronny Mauricio was the envy of the 38,279 who paid to attend Saturday night's game in Colorado, as the Mets' young infielder had the best vantage point from which to admire the 456-foot home run that leapt off his bat to start the third inning.

And who could blame the 24-year-old for taking a moment to watch the ball sail through the thin air before its flight was interrupted by the third deck of the right field stands in the 8-1 win for the visitors from Flushing.

“Pretty impressive,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “That’s the first time I’ve seen somebody going over there… not too many people can go on that third deck here. I don’t have much experience in this ballpark, but not easy to do.”

He added: “The power, the impact, the way the ball jumps off his bat, it’s just good to see him doing the things he’s capable of.”

Mauricio said he was just looking for a pitch up in the zone, and German Marquez obliged his request by hanging a 1-1 knuckle-curve that truly jumped off his bat with a 110.3 mph exit velocity. Something the Met with the second-best view noticed.

“As soon as he hit it, I was like, ‘Damn, that’s going a long ways,’” said Francisco Lindor, who watched from the on-deck circle. “And then, I didn’t know what to do. Wait for him at home plate, wait for him on-deck. I was just admiring the baseball.”

“Oh, pretty good, pretty good,” Mauricio said about the ball coming off his bat. “I feel like I hit it right on the barrel.”

After going hitless in his first 11 at-bats since he made his long-awaited big league return, Mauricio now has three hits in his last five at-bats, later adding a single in the fifth. The manager said he’s seen some improvement in the quality of his plate appearances of late, too.

“Better, definitely, especially on pitches in the strike zone,” he said. “I feel like in the first couple of games he was a little passive, and then they made him chase. Now, he’s ready to go on pitches in the strike zone. And when he’s doing that, he’s a pretty good hitter.”

And Mauricio believes he’s getting more comfortable at the plate. “I’m trying to just enjoy the moment, just try to have fun in the game,” he said. 

But the Mets aren’t going to let themselves get carried away by what Mauricio brings, as Mendoza added, “At the same time, I’ve been saying it since he got here, we gotta be patient with him.”

“This is a guy that missed a whole year of development,” the manager said. “[But] it’s really good to see him now do some of the things.”

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Mets smack three home runs, Clay Holmes goes six solid innings in 8-1 win over Rockies

The Mets got home runs from Ronny Mauricio, Jared Young, and Jeff McNeil and six innings of one-run ball from Clay Holmes to beat the Rockies 8-1 on Saturday night in Colorado.

New York started the game hitless in seven chances with runners in scoring position, but got enough timely hits (3-for-7 from then on, including three two-out RBI) to go along with three solo home runs, which proved to be more than enough offense.

Holmes gave the Rockies chances, but he managed to wriggle out of numerous jams (he allowed nine hits) and stranded eight runners on the night as the Mets improved to 41-24 (.631) on the year and 17-17 in games played outside of Flushing. New York has now won 11 of 14 games, as Colorado fell to an ghastly 12-52 (.189).

Here are the takeaways...

- Holmes allowed four hits over his first three innings, but worked himself out of a pair of two-on and nobody-out jams with three strikeouts and a 6-4-3 double play through nine outs. But he got burned to start the fourth when he threw one slider too many to Ryan McMahon, who launched a 392-foot opposite-way homer to level the score. (It was the eighth slider thrown to McMahon out of nine offerings over two at-bats.)

The Mets’ defense didn’t give Holmes too much help early. In the bottom of the first, after allowing a leadoff single, the righty induced a grounder to second, but Brett Baty broke to his right and the ball shot to his left, giving Colorado runners at first and third instead of a 4-6-3 double play. The miscue (ruled a hit) didn’t cost the Mets, and Baty made up for it by snagging a hard liner for the first out and ranging deep into center to catch a pop fly for the second.

McNeil, making his eighth start in center, made a couple of routine plays, but with two out in the bottom of the fifth, he failed to come up with a shallow pop-up, missing the ball as he went into a feet-first slide. But the base hit, which put two in scoring position, didn’t lead to any runs as Holmes got McMahon to ground out on a slider.

With two out in the sixth, Mauricio gloved a bouncer down the third base line but couldn’t hang onto the ball behind the bag. The error, the Mets' only one of the game, put runners on first and second, but Holmes got a bouncer to short to end the threat.

- Mauricio got a hanging knuckle curve from Rockies starter German Marquez and just demolished it – 456 feet, 110.3 mph off the bat into the third deck in right field to start the third. He later singled in the fifth, wasted no time swiping second base, and then came around to score on Brandon Nimmo’s single through the left side of the infield. Nimmo's base hit was the Mets’ first with a runner in scoring position of the game, for a 3-1 lead.

Nimmo, coming off a 0-for-5 on Friday, hit the ball hard the first three times he was up, driving one to the warning track and hitting another liner hard to center before his single. He added a two-out RBI double in the eighth to finish the day 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBI. Mauricio ended 2-for-4, with three hard-hit balls.

- Young jumped on a first-pitch fastball for an opposite-field homer to open the fifth to put the Mets ahead for good. It was the DH’s second homer of the year, 385 feet, 103.6 mph to left field. He finished 1-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.

- McNeil made his apology for not ending the bottom of the fifth when he started the top of the sixth with a solo shot, cranking a Marquez middle-middle fastball 414 feet to right (101.2 mph) to put the Mets up 4-1. McNeil finished the day 1-for-3 as Tyrone Taylor entered in center for the bottom of the sixth.

Taylor added a bases-loaded sac fly in his first at-bat, setting up Luis Torrens to snap a 0-for-11 stretch by rocketing a two-RBI single up the middle to make it a 7-1 ballgame.

- Francisco Lindor cracked a single to center to start the game. Making his first start since he sustained a broken toe, he stole second on the very next pitch, getting a huge jump and grabbing the base without a throw. After a single in the third, he waited until the second pitch to steal second without a throw to give the heart of the order another chance with a runner in scoring position, but again was left stranded.

Lindor made it a 3-for-5 night with a two-out single in the eighth and was lifted for pinch-runner Luisangel Acuña. 

- Hard-luck dinged Pete Alonso his first time up when his 100.7 mph liner was right at the Rockies’ third baseman, stealing extra bases (.780 xBA) and an RBI. After starting 0-for-3 (all with RISP), striking and bouncing into a room service 6-4-3 double play, Alonso got another chance with runners on first and second and one out in the seventh and singled to left to load the bases. He finished the day 1-for-5.

- Juan Soto, coming off his first three-hit game with the Mets, went down looking at a curve, grounded out, and reached on a fielder’s choice his first three times up. He finished 0-for-4 (0-for-3 with RISP) with a walk and two strikeouts.

- Baty got a stroke of good luck in his third at-bat as he looks to snap out of a 3-for-21 funk with an infield hit that deflected off the pitcher’s glove. The hit put two on and nobody out, and Colorado went to the bullpen and lefty Ryan Rolison. The Mets countered with Starling Marte (batting for Young), but the pinch-hitter bounced into a 5-4-3 double play and Mauricio grounded out to short.

Baty finished the day 1-for-4, Marte 0-for-2.

- Out of the bullpen: José Butto struck out two in a 1-2-3 seventh and erased a leadoff single with a 5-4-3 double play in a clean eighth, tossing 26 pitches (16 strikes). Left-hander José Castillo added a strikeout in an easy-peasy ninth.

Game MVP: Clay Holmes

Holmes' Houdini Act was the key as it allowed the Mets' offense time to get going, as this was a 1-1 contest entering the top of the fifth inning. And it has been a year-long thing for the starter as he has now held opponents to a .120 average with RISP (6-for-50) after Colorado went hitless in eight chances and left eight on base.

His final line: 6.0 innings, one run, nine hits, no walks, six strikeouts on 95 pitches (71 strikes), lowering his ERA to 2.95.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets go for the three-game sweep over the Rockies on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m. EDT.

Right-hander Tylor Megill (3.77 ERA, x WHIP in y innings) makes his 13th start of the season. Megill will be looking to find the form of his first six outings of the year (1.74 ERA in 31 innings) and put his last half dozen outings behind him (5.97 ERA in 28.2 innings).

The hosts counter with right-hander Chase Dollander (6.26 ERA, 1.440 WHIP in 41.2 innings) for his 10th start of his debut season in the big leagues. He has pitched better of late (3.29 ERA over his last 13.2 innings), but lasted just nine outs in his last start.

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‘Bowling the best I have’: Josh Hazlewood stakes claim for WTC final spot

  • 34-year-old giving selectors headaches after strong form in IPL

  • Australia fast bowler missed last World Test Championship decider

Buoyed by an outstanding IPL, Australia quick Josh Hazlewood feels he is bowling better than at any point in his decorated career.

Struck down by niggling injuries in recent years, Hazlewood could be forgiven for starting to taper having already taken 279 wickets from 72 Tests.

Continue reading...
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‘Favorite player of all time’: Roberto Luongo shows love to Brad Marchand after overtime winner

There is an interesting history between Roberto Luongo and Brad Marchand.

Going all the way back to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, the two current members of the Florida Panthers – Luongo is a special advisor to Cats General Manager Bill ZIto, Marchand is starring as key forward – faced each other while members of the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins, respectively.

During that Final, which was won by Boston in seven games, Marchand scored a shorthanded goal on Luongo during Game 3 on June 6, 2011.

It was the then 21-year-old Marchand’s first of five goals in the series as Boston came back from an 0-2 deficit to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 39 years.

He had three combined goals in Game 6 and 7, both won by the Bruins while simultaneously denying Vancouver their first championship in franchise history.

For those who remember, it was a crushing defeat for Luongo and the Canucks.

Well, now here we are, 14 years later, and it appears that any bad feelings have wilted away over time.

After Florida’s thrilling 5-4 double overtime victory in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton – a game that Marchand scored twice, including the OT winner – Luongo took to social media to express his feelings about the veteran goal scorer.

It appears time does heal all wounds.

We also learned after the game that the feelings were mutual.

Speaking after he scored the OT winner on Friday, Marchand was alerted to Luongo’s post.

“Lu is awesome,” Marchand said with a smile. “He’s an incredible person. I’m happy to be on his team.”

Marchand finished with 11 goals and 19 points in 25 games during Boston’s Cup run in 2011. He’s up to seven goals and 17 points in 19 games so far this year with Florida.

Back in 2011, the Conn Smythe Trophy went to Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas despite Marchand’s impact in the Final and postseason as a whole.

Right now, he could be the favorite in many voters’ eyes, but this Final is far from over.

We’ll see how things play out over the next week or so.

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Photo caption: Nov 4, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo (1) makes a save as Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) collides with him during the third period of Boston's 2-1 overtime win at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson-Imagn Images)

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Ryan Yarbrough allows eight runs, Yankees' comeback falls short in 10-7 loss to Red Sox

Ryan Yarbrough was knocked around for eight runs and the Yankees' comeback fell short in their 10-7 loss to the Red Sox on Saturday night in The Bronx.

Before Saturday, Yarbrough allowed six total runs in his first five starts since moving to the rotation, and had not allowed more than two runs in any start.

The Yanks (39-24) struck out 15 times to drop the middle game of this three-game set.

Here are the takeaways...

-The Red Sox would get to the southpaw early. After Yarbrough stranded Rafael Devers, who doubled with one out in the first, he couldn't do the same in the second. After allowing a leadoff double, struggling rookie Kristian Campbell slapped a two-out single the opposite way into right field to give Boston a 1-0 lead.

With Anthony Volpe (elbow) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (rest) out of the lineup, Aaron Boone had to go with a ragtag bunch for Saturday's game. Pablo Reyes started at third and Oswald Peraza started at shortstop. And that configuration would play a big part in the Red Sox's five-run third inning.

After Yarbrough hit Devers to lead off, Rob Refsnyder doubled on a ball that Cody Bellinger tried to catch on a slide, but whiffed, allowing runners on second and third with no out. Carlos Narvaez hit a hard groundball to Paul Goldschmidt, but the Gold Glove first baseman picked the grounder and threw home to get Devers out at home. After Peraza grabbed a groundball in the hole on the left side, but Reyes didn't cover third in time to get the force, resulting in an infield hit that loaded the bases, Abraham Toro blooped a single to center to cut the Yankees' lead to 3-2. Trevor Story followed with a bases-clearing double that bounced off of Reyes' glove to put Boston up 5-3. Campbell singled to cap off the five-run third.

It wouldn't get much better for Yarbrough, who gave up a two-run shot to Romy Gonzalez -- his first of the season -- in the fourth.

Yarbrough would only go four innings (67 pitches/45 strikes), allowing eight runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out three batters. His ERA jumped from 2.83 to 4.17.

-On the other side, Garrett Crochet was making his Yankee Stadium and Red Sox/Yankees rivalry debut on Saturday. The hard-throwing lefty came into the start allowing more than two runs in a start just once this season, but Austin Wells upped that to two with his three-run blast in the second inning. The home run was set up by a leadoff infield single by Bellinger and a one-out walk to DJ LeMahieu. Wells jumped on the first-pitch cutter to send it over the short porch.

Wells would get Crochet again in the fourth with a double in the left-center gap with runners on first and second and one out to drive in his fourth run of the game. Reyes got the Yankees closer with an RBI groundout.

But aside from that, Crochet was great. He would go six innings (97 pitches/67 strikes), allowing the five runs on six hits, one walk, while striking out nine batters. Aaron Judge struck out three times against the southpaw, who settled down and gave Boston what they needed.

-The Yankees lineup wouldn't wake up until the eighth inning. After Ben Rice led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Judge moved him to third on a flyout before Bellinger walked ahed of Jasson Dominguez. Bellinger stole second, but Dominguez struck out. LeMahieu picked up his teammate with a two-run single to cut the Red Sox's lead to 8-7 and advanced to second on an overthrow from the outfield, setting up Wells to potentially drive in the tying run. But the catcher struck out to end the inning.

-In relief of Yarbrough, Yerry De los Santos pitched three innings of one-hit ball -- with two walks mixed in -- to keep the Red Sox off the board. Mark Leiter Jr. pitched a scoreless eighth inning, but Ian Hamilton wouldn't have the same success in the ninth. A walk, and back-to-back singles loaded the bases with no outs for the Red Sox. Story made Yankees pitching pay again with a single up the middle to drive in two. Hamilton would finish the inning without allowing another run, but the damage was done.

Longtime Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman came on for the Red Sox in the ninth. He struck out Chisholm swinging, Peraza and Goldschmidtgrounded out to end the game.

-Judge finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts to drop his average to .390. Reyes finished 0-for-2 with an RBI and Chisholm pinch-hit for him and finished 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. Volpe pinch-ran for LeMahieu in the eighth and stayed in to play shortstop in the ninth.

Peraza went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Game MVP: Trevor Story

The veteran shortstop had the big hit in that five-run third and the huge two-run single in the ninth when the Yankees were lurking. Three hits and five RBI for Story

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Red Sox complete their first series of the season on Sunday night. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

Carlos Rodon (8-3, 2.49 ERA) will look to continue to his hot streak of starts while Boston will have Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 4.06 ERA) on the bump.

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Thunder Game 2 changes have to start with better nights from Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams

OKLAHOMA CITY — Any doubts about the Thunder entering the playoffs seemed to have been wiped away before the NBA Finals tipped off. Nobody had really questioned MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Thunder defense had more than lived up to its fearsome reputation.

Perhaps the only question not entirely answered this postseason was the one that lingered from last year's playoffs, when the Mavericks eliminated the Thunder: Were Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren good enough to be the No. 2 and 3 players on a championship team?

They were not in Game 1. They shot a combined 8-of-28, and they had some defensive lapses.

If the Thunder are going to even this series in Game 2 Sunday night, a few things need to improve for them, but that starts with better games from Williams and Holmgren.

"[Holmgren] and [Williams], specifically, obviously they have carved out huge roles on our team," OKC coach Mark Daigneault said. "Usually, delivering in the Finals is not on the curriculum for third-year players, and they have thrust themselves into that situation, which is a credit to them. And now that they are here, they have to continue to do what they have done all the way through the playoffs...

"They haven't always played their best game, but they always get themselves ready to play the next one. The last guy I'm worried about that is Chet."

Williams played down the idea of being a third-year player mattering.

"I don't ever think that I'm in my third year because then that allows me to make excuses. I should just go out there and play. Pressure is a privilege," Williams said on the eve of Game 2. "So I enjoy being counted on and doing that, and I just think I've been counted on since, I feel like, last year, to be totally honest, just in regard to being there for the rest of the guys. And now we're here in the Finals."

Holmgren’s rough shooting night

Holmgren shot 2-of-8 within four feet of the rim in Game 1, finishing the night with six points on nine shot attempts. It was a night where Daigneault leaned more into Isaiah Hartenstein (9 points on 3-of-5 shooting, plus 9 rebounds).

"I feel like I could have slowed down, kind of finished some of those plays at the rim," Holmgren said. "Obviously, it hurts in a one-point loss. One single difference on one single play could have decided the whole game...

"I'd say [I went] on some of them, too quick. On the ones that involved help side, just slowing down and understanding where they are is a big thing. Some of the one-on-one plays, I wouldn't say so much slowing down as I'd say kind of just being a little bit more under control, I guess."

Williams’ rough shooting night

Williams put up better counting stats with 17 points, but was 6-of-19 shooting. He was respectable around the rim, hitting 5-of-9. However, he was 1-of-10 outside that range, including 1-of-4 on 3-pointers.

We've seen this before this postseason. Against the Nuggets, Williams showed out with 32 points on 21 shots in Game 3 (an OKC loss), but in the next three games Williams shot 2-of-13, 5-of-14 and 3-of-16, a combined 23.3%.

Williams bounced back in the Thunder's Game 7 victory, scoring 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting. What Oklahoma City needs from him in the Finals is consistency. Williams is an All-NBA player who will be offered a five-year maximum contract extension by the Thunder this summer. These games, however, are where that money and his reputation are really earned.

All playoffs long, when the Thunder have been challenged — individually and as a team — they have responded. Expect Williams and Holmgren to bounce back with better games on Sunday night.

If they don't, the hole the Thunder find themselves in could be a lot deeper.

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A Level Of Uncertainty Regarding Golden Knights' Alex Pietrangelo Health For The 2025-26 Season

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (7) controls the puck in the third period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights are heading into a peculiar offseason, filled with rumours about possible big moves and philosophical changes by the head coach, but now their veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has his health put into question.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas, on their podcast 32 Thoughts, shared that there is a level of uncertainty about Pietrangelo's health and a fear that he could be unavailable for the 2025-26 season.

Throughout the 2024-25 campaign, Pietrangelo dealt with numerous issues. Some were health-related, and others were linked to injuries. He sat out the 4 Nations Face-Off, electing to rest an ailment, and missed some time towards the end of the season. In all, the 35-year-old played 71 regular-season games, scoring four goals and 33 points to go along with 10 playoff games, where he scored two goals and six points. 

Bruce Cassidy Says He's Not Concerned With Alex Pietrangelo's Injury, Expects Him To ReturnBruce Cassidy Says He's Not Concerned With Alex Pietrangelo's Injury, Expects Him To ReturnLAS VEGAS -- Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Saturday after morning skate that he is not concerned long-term with an injury that's kept Alex Pietrangelo out of the lineup.

thehockeynews.comBruce Cassidy Says He's Not Concerned With Alex Pietrangelo's Injury, Expects Him To ReturnLAS VEGAS -- Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Saturday after morning skate that he is not concerned long-term with an injury that's kept Alex Pietrangelo out of the lineup.

“Every year, I hear, ‘Oh, Pietrangelo is so badly beaten up, and he’s put his body through so much, and he’s not going to be able to play next season,’” responded Friedman to a question from Bukauskas. “And every year I get told, ‘That’s wrong.’ And every year, he’s back, and he plays, and he plays hard, and he plays great.

“You’ll remember that the NHL and the countries have an agreement [about naming Olympic teams],” Friedman continued. “The full team is the end of December, but they have to name six players by the end of June. The dates aren’t set up yet, but it sounds like it could potentially be the week of [June] 16th— which is a week and a half from now. I put together a long list for all these teams of who could be on it, and I had Pietrangelo on that list. And someone indicated to me that he might not be available. 

“I don’t have any confirmation on that yet,” finished Friedman. “I still think it’s one of those things where, at this time of year, teams are trying to figure out what their rosters might look like for next year and [if there are] any injury concerns. So, we’ll see what happens with Pietrangelo… But it sounds like there’s at least the possibility that they’re trying to figure out what his health will be like for the start of next season.”

At the moment, Friedman doesn't have enough information to confirm or deny what he's been given and couldn't provide any information on what Pietrangelo is dealing with, but the news is concerning. 

Pietrangelo is under contract for two more seasons, and although the team could stash him on the long-term injury reserve while he recovers, they feel they are better with him on the ice. 

The Golden Knights have been linked to Mitch Marner, a top free agent this offseason and would need to be moving money around to add him to the roster. Reports have stated that the team could move Nicolas Hague and/or Ivan Barbashev to do so, but if Pietrangelo is indeed out for the season, the Golden Knights could have more cap space to freely chase free agents. 

It'll be a major blow if Pietrangelo is indeed injured, but the Golden Knights will need to get to work quickly to find a way to keep the roster clicking. Kaedan Korczak has been waiting for an opportunity, and it could be his time to step in and shine. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Cassidy Has Good Reason To Consider Load Management For Certain Knights In Last Two Games Cassidy Has Good Reason To Consider Load Management For Certain Knights In Last Two Games LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights are Pacific Division champs, they'll host a Wild Card team starting Easter Sunday and barring a casualty in the first round, will host a second-round series, too.
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Mets Notes: Francisco Alvarez ‘working hard’ to break out; updates on Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas

Ahead of Saturday night's game in Colorado, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza gave updates on a few players...

What's next for Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas

Manaea came out of his first rehab start on Friday night, "all good," the manager said, adding the left-hander will throw again on Tuesday or Wednesday for the High-A Brooklyn. "See how the next couple of days goes," Mendoza said.

The southpaw had a rough go of it, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and a hit by pitch in 1.2 innings while throwing 36 pitches (26 strikes).

Montas will make his fourth rehab start on Sunday for Triple-A Syracuse, and the plan is for him to throw 80-85 pitches. While Montas is "getting closer to normal" with the high pitch count, Mendoza said the 32-year-old will likely make another start at Triple-A before he is ready to be activated from the IL.

"After he gets through this one, we'll see where he's at," the manager said. "But I don't think this is gonna be his last one."

Results have not been there for the right-hander, as he has allowed runs in all of his previous outings (the first two coming with Brooklyn). On Tuesday, he surrendered five runs on eight hits (including four home runs) and a walk in 4.0 frames, throwing 61 pitches (43 strikes).

When asked what point he might start to care about the results from these rehab appearances, Mendoza said it is "still early, especially for Manaea."

"With Montas, I'll say we'll see how [Sunday] goes and then we'll start to look more at results and all that," he said. "More about how they are bouncing back. For Sean, after the first one, it's too early for him."

Francisco Alvarez still grinding

The contact has been there for the 23-year-old catcher – a 92.8 mph average exit velocity and a 47 percent hard-hit rate – but the results haven't quite been there – just four extra-base hits and a .301 slugging percentage – through his first 93 at-bats of the season.

"We haven't seen him driving the ball with authority," Mendoza said of Alvarez, who was not in the lineup for Saturday's game. "I feel like he's on and off. There's been some games where I feel like he's put himself in a good position to make swing decisions, and you see the barrel and the bat path coming through the zone. But then there's also been games where he's late.

"We just gotta continue to grind, continue to help him. And hopefully he gets there because he's too good of a player, too good of a hitter. And, obviously, we know the power is there, but we just haven't seen that yet."

May 19, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) celebrates hitting a double against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
May 19, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) celebrates hitting a double against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / © Eric Canha-Imagn Images

About three weeks ago, Mendoza said he was seeing Alvarez get beat on fastballs quite a bit. The skipper indicated he's seen some improvement in that area, but not consistent strides.

"I feel like last week he was making progress," he said. "[Friday] night, he looked like he was late with some of the fastballs. Part of some of the inconsistency that we've seen from him. But he's working hard, that's the one thing with him: He's such a hard worker and he's always looking for ways to get better.... And we gotta get him there."

Alvarez batted .315 with a .534 slugging percentage against 690 fastballs a season ago. After Friday's game, those numbers were down to .264 and .302, which are down 46 points and eight points from three weeks ago. But there have been improvements in his expected numbers, which could indicate some of the work is paying off, even if the results haven't been there just yet. His xBA on fastballs is up to .225 from .213 on May 19 and xSLG is up to .373 from .299.

Alvarez also "made a very significant swing change in the offseason," president of baseball operations David Stearns mentioned in late May, something that could be impacting his production, which was further hampered by a stint on the IL.

In 27 games on the year, Alvarez is batting .237 (the same mark he finished with in 100 games last season) with a .625 OPS (down from .710 a year ago).

Bullpen workload on skipper's mind

Manage the personalities and vibe in the clubhouse, manage the lineup, manage the in-game strategy, and manage the bullpen's usage. Those are the four big areas a big league manager can show they are worth their salt.

"We've been using them pretty hard," Mendoza said when asked about the workload of Ryne Stanek, Huascar Brazobán, and Reed Garrett.

Of course, the hitters could do something to help the relievers out.

"When you look at Reed Garrett, I feel like the past week he's been on and off, on and off. That's not sustainable," he said. "This is something that we gotta be careful here. Same with Stanek, the past week I feel like [he's been used] every other day. I'm not gonna complain, but we're playing so many tight games that every time they're available, we're using them. Same thing with Brazoban.

"That's the balance here that we're gonna have to watch those guys closely."

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NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Could Swoop Back In for Bowen Byram

Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram has long been coveted by the Flyers. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers already tried to trade for star Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram once, and the latest NHL trade rumors indicate they'll try once more.

Before they traded Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick, the Flyers, as reported by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman in Jan. 2024, tried to move Gauthier to the Colorado Avalanche for Bowen Byram.

“I think Philly did ask about Bowen Byram, and I just think Colorado wasn’t going there,” Friedman said on the Jan. 12, 2024 episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast. “I suspect Colorado’s answer was ‘We are not doing this 1-for-1, it’s got to be more than Gauthier for Byram.’”

Fast forward to today, and Byram, 23, is a pending restricted free agent on a Buffalo team with a number of players rumored to be dissatisfied with the team's lack of success and direction, which is no surprise having won a Stanley Cup with Colorado already.

Byram has recently changed agents and purportedly wants more power play time, which he won't get as long as Rasmus Dahlin is on the Sabres. The Flyers, on the other hand, do not have a dedicated power play quarterback for either of the two units that were no better than 30th in each of the last three years.

Byram is a good offensive defenseman playing on a bad Sabres team. (Evolving-Hockey)

Friedman has again found a pulse on Byram's latest situation, reporting on his Thursday episode of "32 Thoughts" that Byram's name was a hot one at this week's NHL Scouting Combine, with Sabres GM Kevyn Adams putting in the leg work whilst searching for ways to bolster his languishing roster.

"That's just a hot name. It's just a hot name. Kevyn Adams, he's doing his due diligence there. I think there's a lot of interest, as you would expect," Friedman said of Byram. "We've said it's going to be a hot name this summer. I've just heard there's been a lot of noise around him at the combine."

The Flyers, like the Sabres and Byram, are having a bit of trouble with an RFA defenseman of their own in Cam York, who is one of two Flyers free agents still without a new contract.

Fellow RFAs Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster seemingly put pen to paper on new deals with ease in recent weeks.

If role and playing time is an issue for Byram but not for York, it's reasonable to assume that the Flyers and the Sabres are in positions to help each other out without sacrificing much else at either end.

Revisiting GM Danny Briere's First Flyers Trade, 2 Years LaterRevisiting GM Danny Briere's First Flyers Trade, 2 Years LaterPhiladelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere has seen and done it all during his brief time in charge of his former team, and his first piece of business is looking like his best so far.

York, who has established himself as a reliable defensive safety valve at the expense of his own offensive talents, could perform well in a similar role next to either Dahlin or Owen Power.

The Sabres are, additionally, in need of right-shot defensemen, as Dahlin, Power, Mattias Samuelsson, and York or Byram are all left-shots.

Perhaps a reunion with Rasmus Ristolainen, now an established veteran whose game has improved dramatically, would make sense on some level, just not as a direct swap for Byram.

The Flyers have plenty of talented options available on the NHL trade market this year, but what ultimately comes of it is up to them to decide. A Stanley Cup-contending roster won't make itself.

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Bulldogs Extend Head Coach Jay McKee

Yesterday, Brantford Bulldogs GM Spencer Hyman, the brother of Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman, announced the extension of Head Coach Jay McKee through the 2027-28 season. 

"I'm deeply grateful for the trust and responsibility the Brantford Bulldogs' owners have afforded me," said McKee. "I'm thrilled to continue working alongside such talented players and equally excited for what we'll achieve together with our amazing fans in the city of Brantford."

McKee has led the Bulldogs since being hired by the organization in 2021. That season, he coached the team to the best record in franchise history on the way to winning an OHL championship. 

Next season will mark McKee's ninth season coaching in the OHL. Before joining Brantford, he worked as the Head Coach for the Kitchener Rangers between 2016 and 2020.

During his playing days, McKee was a 6-foot-4 defender who played for both the Sudbury Wolves and Niagara Falls Thunder.

Rangers Sign University of Michigan CommitRangers Sign University of Michigan CommitYesterday, the Kitchener Rangers announced the signing of Adam Valentini to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Valentini played in the USHL last season after being pick in the first round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. 

The Buffalo Sabres ended up drafting McKee with the 14th-overall pick in the 1995 NHL Draft. He went on to play more than 800 OHL games over the course of 14 seasons. 

The Bulldogs find themselves in an interesting situation this offseason. They will more than likely be without Chicago Blackhawks prospect and star forward Nick Lardis, as it seems likely he will join the AHL. They will also be without overage players Thomas Patrick, Ottawa Senators prospect Thomas Hamara and Thomas Budnick, who are ineligible to return. 

Last year's team also featured five other 2005-born players besides Lardis. Due to the overage rules in the OHL, they will have to shed at least one of those players, and are more than likely to move two. 

19 OHL Players Invited To NHL Scouting Combine19 OHL Players Invited To NHL Scouting CombineThe 2025 NHL Scouting Combine started on Monday. A total of 19 of the OHL's top draft eligible players were invited to the combine ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft. 

With that said, they have a very solid core that includes Chicago Blackhawks prospect Marek Vanacker, 2025 NHL Draft eligible forward Jake O'Brien, St. Louis Blues prospect Adam Jiricek, Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Protz and Buffalo Sabres prospect Ryerson Leenders. 

There is also room for younger players and depth players to grab a bigger role higher up the lineup based on those players who are leaving.

If the team adds a few more big hitters, they will likely be a top team in the Eastern Conference once again next year. 

With McKee at the helm, the Bulldogs have solidified the Head Coaching position for the next three seasons. He bring stability and expertise that will help the Bulldogs continue to compete with the other top teams in the OHL.

"We're thrilled to extend Jay McKee for three more years," said Hyman. "Jay is the best coach in the CHL, and make no mistake, he chose the Bulldogs. Our players, staff and community will be thrilled to know Jay is our Head Coach. We're grateful for his commitment and are excited for what's ahead."

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Mets sign RHP Julian Merryweather to minor league deal

The Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Julian Merryweather to a minor league deal, the club announced on Saturday evening.

Merryweather, 33, spent the past three seasons with the Chicago Cubs organization before he was released on the penultimate day of May.

In 21 games this season, the reliever posted a 5.79 ERA and 1.821 WHIP over 18.2 innings with 15 strikeouts to 11 walks. During an injury-plagued 2024 campaign, he was limited to just 15 innings over 15 outings and posted a 6.60 ERA and 1.800 WHIP.

New York is hoping the MLB veteran of six seasons can regain the form of his first season on the North Side of Chicago when he posted a 3.38 ERA and 1.306 WHIP over 72 innings and 69 games with 98 strikeouts to 36 walks.

A hard-thrower, Merryweather has become a two-pitch reliever relying on his slider and four-seam fastball. The heater's 96 mph average velocity is good for the 80th percentile in the majors this year.

A late bloomer, he got his start in the majors at the age of 28 with the Blue Jays in 2020, and appeared in big league games in Toronto for three seasons. In 152 career games, Merryweather has posted a 4.72 ERA and 1.434 WHIP over 158.1 innings with 127 strikeouts to 56 walks.

Earlier on Saturday, the club announced the acquisition of RHP Justin Garza in a deal with the Giants, sending cash considerations to San Francisco.