Nosek, 33, is from Pardubice and has been playing in the team’s system since 2007, when he started with the HC Dynamo Pardubice U18 squad.
During his two seasons with the Panthers, Nosek played a total of 80 regular season games, accumulating three goals and 13 points while winning 49.9% of his faceoffs, primarily centering Florida’s fourth line when in the lineup.
He suited up for 16 games during the Panthers run to the 2025 Stanley Cup, logging three assists and laying out 44 hits.
When the time came for Nosek to spend a day with the Stanley Cup, he brought the trophy back to Pardubice, visiting his childhood rink and former high school before sharing the Cup with thousands of fans at the town’s historic Pernštýnské Square.
For a man who clearly has a lot of love for his hometown, it’s very cool to see him take advantage of an opportunity to potentially finish his career there.
If you’ve taken a closer look at the Montreal Canadiens schedule for this season, you might have noticed that two of the 84 games will be played on a Monday afternoon. One is on January 18 against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center, and the other is on February 22 against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. There is also a Thursday afternoon game, played on New Year's Eve at 2:00 PM against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The game against the Sabres falls on Martin Luther King Day, which is a bank holiday in the USA but not in Canada, but the ones against the Flyers and the Bolts are not bank holidays in North America.
So why would the NHL schedule afternoon games then? NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly explained the reasoning behind it in the latest edition of The Eye Test Podcast hosted by Pierre McGuire and Jimmy Murphy. Essentially, the league has decided to design a package of weekday games to air at prime time in Europe without competition from European football, particularly on Monday nights.
If you’re not keen about missing a couple of your favorite team’s games, you might have to get used to it, as Daly also stated that he thinks it’s inevitable that at some point, the NHL will expand to Europe. If that’s the case, there will be more weekday games for every team. Daly does acknowledge that there are still obstacles to making that happen in an 84-game season, but it’s interesting to hear that the League is studying the possibility.
— The Sick Podcast - The Eye Test (@sickpodnhl) July 30, 2026
Of course, should that happen, it would mean that every team has to travel to Europe during the season, and it’s hard to imagine them doing that to play a single game against one team. From a financial standpoint, it would make more sense to have at least a couple of teams overseas. However, for those teams, they would have to be on the road for months at a time to visit the league’s other franchises. It’s hard to imagine any player being keen on leaving their family behind for months…that’s no doubt one of the obstacles Daly was referring to. If players are reluctant to come to cities like Montreal because of the language, the weather and the taxes, I can’t imagine life on the road for months being a big selling point.
Of course, the impact could be diminished if the league were to create a whole division in Europe, but would that be a viable idea? What would it do to the quality of the on-ice product? An expansion with that many teams at once could really have a negative impact; the PWHL is doing a four-team expansion this season, and that’s a real concern. Hopefully the NHL takes notes.
For now, though, it may be time to look at your team’s schedule closely and start booking some days off if you don’t want to miss anything. On Monday, October 12, the Sabres and the Florida Panthers are playing at 1:00 PM in Buffalo. On Thursday, November 12 at 12:00 PM, the Carolina Hurricanes are playing the Seattle Kraken as part of the 2026 NHL Global Series. On Monday, November 30, the Ottawa Senators are visiting the Nashville Predators at 1:00 PM. On Monday, December 7, the Colorado Avalanche are visiting the New York Islanders at 1:00 PM. On Monday, December 14, the Sabres are visiting the Senators at 2:00 PM. On Monday, December 21, the Washington Capitals visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at 1:00 PM. On Monday, December 28, the Vegas Golden Knights are visiting the Minnesota Wild at 2:00 PM. On Thursday, December 31, there are five afternoon games featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Senators, the Hurricanes and the Detroit Red Wings, the Canadiens and the Lightning, the Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the St. Louis Blues and the Golden Knights. It may be New Year’s Eve, but it’s not an official Bank Holiday in North America, and the list goes on in the New Year. Whichever team you support, be sure to plan ahead.
OAKLAND — Stepping away from an adoring crowd and hearing the question about his future, Gary Payton II’s grin stretched toward his earlobes before he replied.
The versatile veteran is returning to Golden State Warriors — the place he calls home.
“It’s done,” Payton told NBC Sports Bay Area on Saturday at Fremont High School, where he joined former Golden State teammate Juan Toscano-Anderson in donating backpacks and other school supplies to local students.
“It’s already done.”
What’s done is a signature on a one-year contract worth $3.9 million for Payton to return to the franchise with which he has spent nearly 80 percent of his NBA career. Though he was an unrestricted free agent, technically on the open market, he had no desire to leave the place where he found basketball happiness.
What the Warriors need is a bounce-back season from GP2.
There have been two primary factors behind Payton’s success as a Warrior. 1) He has mastered the art of playing with Stephen Curry; only Draymond Green has similar court chemistry with the franchise player. 2) Payton remains a valuable perimeter defender on one end, and a solid “dunker spot” specialist on the other.
Those attributes were crucial to Golden State’s last championship in 2022. Payton, 33, is now tasked with trying to make the same impact four years later.
“Let’s go get it,” Payton said. “We’ve said enough, man. Let’s go.”
GP2’s priority on offense is to rediscover his 3-point shot. It has declined in each of the past three seasons, from 36.4 percent in 2023-24 to 32.6 in 2024-25 to a dismal 29.1 last season. When Payton’s corner threes are falling, it adds a much-needed dimension to the Warriors’ offense, and it’ll be a barometer for his playing time.
The other issue is Payton’s health. He played a career-high 73 games last season — his most since the 2021-22 title season — by avoiding the kind of nagging injuries that cost him 58 games over the previous two seasons.
“I’m (feeling) great,” he said. “Everything’s good. I’m ready to go. Last couple months before camp, so let’s wind it up and get ready. Let’s please stay healthy. Not just me, but all of us. We definitely need that.”
Because Payton is perhaps the most positionless player on the roster, his place on the depth chart is variable. He’ll slide between guard and forward, based on matchups. There will be games in which he might play eight minutes, and there will be other games when he might be on the floor for 28.
So, yes, the Warriors continue to reassemble the roster that went 37-45 last season. The only significant addition is first-round draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg, who can expect considerable playing time at both forward spots.
“He showed some good things in summer league, coming off his last year from school and being able to flip the switch and turn it,” Payton said of the rookie. “He looks good. It’s going to be good to see him in training camp. Get a feel for him and see how he’s going to respond.”
That sentiment, for what it’s worth, applies to every man who suits up once the ball rolls out for camp on Sept. 29.
An over-the-top cake commemorating OG Anunoby’s history-making tip-in during Game 4 of the NBA Finals went viral on social media this week.
The impressive 2-foot confectionary creation features the forward-guard — sculpted out of fondant and modeling chocolate — pushing the ball into the basket, with 2.4 seconds remaining on the shot clock above.
Queens native Don Donneruno created this 2-foot cake commemorating OG Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in. Courtesy Don Donneruno
The icing on the cake is an awestruck Celebrity Row of Spike Lee, Mariska Hargitay, Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller — and even The Post’s back cover from the morning after the game-winning shot — all printed on wafer paper.
The celebrity baker behind the creation, Don Donneruno, aka “The Cake Don,” told The Post the labor of love took five hours to complete, and the entire thing is edible.
The video he posted of the slam dunk dessert racked up over 315,000 views on Instagram and countless comments from Knicks fans.
“It’s kind of funny, people are saying he looks a little too thick … They’re saying, ‘OG’s caked up,'” Donneruno said, laughing.
The idea for the cake came about when a young fan came into his Huntington, Long Island, shop sporting an OG jersey and asking for a Knicks cake for his birthday.
Donneruno, known as “The Cake Don,” owns a shop in Huntington, Long Island. Courtesy Don Donneruno
Donneruno, 58, a Whitestone native and self-proclaimed “Knicks freak,” said choosing that moment to recreate in cake was a no-brainer.
“For Knicks fans, that play is going to live forever. A hundred years from now, they’ll still be showing that clip. That play is etched in New York sports history now. It’s never going away.”
He made this creation for Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson. Courtesy Don Donneruno
He’s actually created two cakes for the Knicks organization — one for its president Leon Rose and another for guard Jordan Clarkson’s birthday.
Clarkson’s mother called and asked if he could replicate a Louis Vuitton suitcase with a Knicks logo, add $100 bills spilling out of it and deliver the sweet treat to Madison Square Garden as a surprise.
“She was like, ‘He’ll be at practice, can you drop it off?'” he recalled.
“He had a great game the night before, so it was like a big deal at the shop. We were all excited over it.”
Donneruno was also asked to make a cake for Knicks president Leon Rose. Courtesy Don Donneruno
After the Knicks clinched the title, Donneruno got a text at 7:58 a.m. asking if he could create a “crazy” cake for Rose and have it at One Vanderbilt in Midtown by 7 p.m. for the party the night before the ticker-tape parade.
“I got there at 10 to seven, with like 10 minutes to spare,” he said.
“If I had a couple of days to design it, that thing would have been twice the height, twice as crazy, but I only had hours.”
The creative baker also crafted this one for Cardinal Dolan. Courtesy Don Donneruno
Donneruno, who worked in the corporate office of the designer shoe company Stuart Weitzman for 18 years, made his first cake at 41 after his children’s nanny asked him to help her with one.
After he posted the final product on Facebook, his career path took an unexpected turn.
“My friend who I grew up with in Whitestone wrote, ‘You’re The Cake Don.’ And I laughed, and then I started making cakes out of my house. And then a year later, I went all in,” he explained.
His first-ever celebrity cake was made for Shaquille O’Neal. Courtesy Don Donneruno
Donneruno, whose other recent high-profile projects included a cake for former Archbishop of New York Timothy Cardinal Dolan, of him standing in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, said his first celebrity cake was for basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal.
“I recreated the Reebok pump sneaker with the basketball on top, his first signature sneaker, in his actual size,” he recalled.
When Shaq, who wears a size 22 shoe, saw the sneaker cake, he was serious at first.
“And with a slight Shaq smirk, he said, ‘It’s too small,'” Donneruno said.
Boston, MA - May 31: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations during practice at the Auerbach Center. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Give us a minute. It’s been a summer.
Let’s get this straight. After coughing up a 3-1 lead to the 76ers in the first round of last year’s playoffs, we traded Jaylen Brown to Philly AND they added LeBron James? The Knicks are defending champs and Kawhi Leonard might be a Toronto Raptor again?
Like I said, give us a minute.
It’s now August and the dust has settled. We’re officially starting our offseason deep sleep until training camp in October, but before we go into a two- month basketball hibernation, let’s take stock of where we’re at.
First, the team deserves all the skepticism that the fans have had over the last few weeks. You don’t trade away a franchise cornerstone and MVP candidate without some blowback. Now, with some perspective, the move makes a little more sense. There’s a clearer three-year plan in place and we’re all slowly getting on board.
NBA media and analytics seem to be catching up with the Celtics’ summer, too. Considering everything that’s happened with roster and taking stock with the rest of the conference, Boston is still poised to have a very good season next year with the veteran additions of Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Mike Conley Jr. And with the continued development of the young core that pushed the Celtics to 56 wins last season, there’s no reason to think they’ll be any drop off.
Only time will tell if they’re championship level. Our friends at FanDuel have the Celtics (+1300) just behind the Knicks (+950) and Sixers (+1000) to raise Banner 19. Get on the bandwagon. I’ll save you a seat.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 18: Gilbert Arenas speaks onstage during the Gil's Arena panel at the Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics) | Getty Images for Fanatics
Former Washington Wizards star guard Gilbert Arenas was one of the NBA’s best scorers for much of the 2000s. Now that his career is over, he has gradually begun to reveal more about his life as Washington’s superstar during that time.
Recently, he was interviewed by Justin Edelman who hosts the Games With Names podcast. One of Arenas’ unwritten rules was that if a player didn’t make at least $5 million, that player couldn’t speak to him directly. A player who made at least $5 million could be an intermediary.
Gilbert Arenas says he made a rule that Wizards teammates could not speak to him directly if they made under $5,000,000
“I was a rock star, baby. You couldn’t tell me nothing. I even put in a rule with the team. It wasn’t a hard rule, but it was a rule”
On the one hand, this rule can make Arenas look pretty bad. From the outside, we think that players on a sports team will at the very least will speak to each other when needed. But at the same time, Arenas gave insight on how superstars could effectively control a locker room. Let’s face it, a player on a minimum level contract just trying to make it in the NBA just wasn’t going to have the same cache as a player making a near maximum contract during that time.
While it is good to see Arenas reminisce his career now that it is in the rear view mirror, I think some things are best left off the record. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
In the summer of 2025, the New York Islanders signed highly-coveted Russian free agent forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year deal.
Shabanov, who turned 25 early in the 2025-26 season, came in with a ton of promise and excitement, with some thinking he could become a clear top-six forward with electric skill.
The Islanders, however, had a crowded forwards room to begin the year, and Shabanov started hot.
He scored in his NHL debut and the Islanders' first game of the season, and played the first six games of the year, totalling three points.
Then, Shabanov suffered an injury and missed 12 straight games. In his third game back from injury, Shabanov torched the Detroit Red Wings for two goals and three points in a statement 5-0 win, playing over 14 minutes.
That moment felt like a breakout moment, and one he could springboard into future success:
One game later, Shabanov played a hair over 10 minutes in a 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Shabanov played a total of 17 straight games after injury, posting two goals and seven points, including that Detroit game.
The Russian forward received inconsistent ice time and line mates, and couldn't establish a rhythm.
After that 17th straight game, then-Islanders' Head Coach Patrick Roy opted to scratch Shabanov for one game, hoping to light a fire in his player.
Two games later, Shabanov started a three-game point streak, and put up five points in five games.
As the Islanders struggled in January, so too did Shabanov. Shabanov went eight straight games without a point, to go with a -3 and a lousy 3-4-1 record for the Islanders. Shabanov was scratched once in the middle of that stretch, and then once after.
Immediately after Shabanov got scratched for a third time, Islanders' General Manager Mathieu Darche went out and acquired Ondrej Palat, replacing Maxim Tsyplakov who had spent the year as the Islanders' 13th or 14th forward.
Palat entered the lineup regularly, and Shabanov exited. Later, at the NHL Trade Deadline, the Islanders acquired Brayden Schenn, adding another forward to an already crowded mix.
Before the acquisition of Palat in late January, Shabanov played 38 of the 52 games, missing 12 to injury and getting scratched twice.
Of the final 30 games the Islanders would play, Shabanov played just six games, scoring once and adding two assists.
Ilya Sorokin pointed out in an interview after the season that Shabanov needed more positivity and to work more to earn his place, and it's hard not to think he was speaking of this period.
Nonetheless, Shabanov ultimately became an unrestricted free agent after the Islanders did not tender him a qualifying offer, ending his time on Long Island.
The Minnesota Wild swooped in and gave him a one-year deal.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 4: Tobias Tvrznik poses for a portrait during the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine at Harborcenter on June 4, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Seven writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalancheorganization as of September 1, 2026. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
A robust list of 35 players for this year’s ranking led to many more candidates than usual for honorable mention. It wasn’t an easy choice to identify who deserved special mention with what was a wide range of opinions on players from our voters which gave some top 25 support to each and every one of those 35 eligible names. Narrowing it down to just three who just missed the cut comprise a forward, defenseman and goaltender, showing there’s budding organizational depth at all positions.
Forward – Nolan Roed – St. Cloud State (NCAA)
Former seventh round pick from the 2025 draft Nolan Roed missed out on the top 25 by just one point after landing at #21 on our list last year. Roed had a good freshman year at St. Cloud State where he scored 18 points and five goals in 36 games. It was a hot start to his season which led to Roed getting named NCHC rookie of the week in late October but he cooled off a bit once conference play started in the new year. Roed has some versatility in his game with tenacity to get to the net front and scoring ability, which Colorado looks for in both Avalanche and Eagles forwards. The 20-year-old still has a long collegiate career ahead of him in hopes of impressing the Avalanche enough for a contract offer in the future.
Goaltender – Tobias Tvrznik – Wenatchee Wild(WHL)
The newcomer of our honorable mentions is one of the new goaltenders to the organization. Tobias Tvrznik was selected at 126th overall in the fourth round of the 2026 draft in his second year of eligibility after spending a year in the WHL with the Wenatchee Wild. There the 6-foot-four goalie put up respectable stats of 16-18-4, 3.10 goals against average and .913 on a not very good team and caught the eye of the Avalanche. He possesses the enticing qualities of size and athleticism that Colorado looks for in a prospects. Previously Tvrznik was playing in Czechia junior leagues and didn’t get enough exposure but was ranked eighth for North American goaltenders and was invited to the NHL draft combine in 2026. Colorado has added a lot of goaltending talent lately so it will be interesting to see where the 19-year-old goalie goes from here both literally and figuratively.
It has been an interesting three years for Saige Weinstien since he was one of the rare rookie camp invitees who got offered a contract by the Avalanche at the conclusion of training camp in 2023. From there the six-foot-one left handed defenseman spent the next two seasons finishing his junior career in the WHL with Spokane and then he finally started playing pro hockey last season. There weren’t plans for Weinstien with the Colorado Eagles, therefore he was sent to the Utah Grizzlies in the ECHL and spent 30 games there and chipped in two assists. He did see three games of AHL action and scored his first professional goal in January, which was fun to see the more defensive oriented defenseman score. Weinstien didn’t play much in the spring and also dealt with an ankle injury.
The 21-year-old landed at #17 on our ranking last season but dropped out of this year’s version of the Top 25 Under 25 due to a lot of new faces added to the organization but also the uncertainty in Colorado’s commitment to and path to get Weinstien a job in the NHL. It’s a critical year ahead for him to make an impact in the AHL and hopefully get a look with the Avalanche in order to move up the organizational depth chart, which could get him back on our list.
The other seven players in the Avalanche organization are worth a mention include defensemen Gustav Stjernberg and Cole Tuminaro, goaltender Alexandre Raymond, forward Cooper Gay and defensemen Nikita Ishimnikov, Ondrej Ruml and Chris Romaine.
Jazz Chisholm Jr is a household name in New York, but could he be about to make it big in Great Britain? [Getty Images]
He's a Major League Baseball star who could be in line to represent Team GB at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
And Jazz Chisholm Jr's New York Yankees team-mates tell him regularly just how good he is.
"Sometimes they've seen me dragging a little bit lately," he said in a post-match interview last month. "So they've been saying: 'Let's not forget who you are. You're the greatest in the world... you are Jazz Chisholm.'"
Chisholm exudes a self-confidence that has endeared him to Yankees fans well versed in big personalities and supportive of those who embrace their huge expectations.
Just this week he made headlines for a video in which he was asked to stay silent until he heard the name of a better player than himself.
He didn't say a word - even when the reporter mentioned team-mate Aaron Judge, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Yankees ever.
But behind the sometimes brash front, there is a humble side to Chisholm.
From the Bahamas...
Born in Nassau - the capital city of the Bahamas - Chisholm was raised mainly by his grandparents.
His maternal grandmother - Patricia Coakley - had been the star player of the nation's softball team. She began teaching her grandson how to hit a baseball from the age of two, and encouraged him to play with swagger and flair.
His paternal grandmother - Judy Chisholm - also played a vital role in keeping his baseball ambitions on track.
When Jazz was 12, he moved to Wichita in Kansas to attend boarding school - the best route to give himself a chance of becoming a professional athlete.
He soon became severely homesick and wanted to go home but Judy convinced him to tough it out.
After graduating and returning to the Bahamas, he was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks through the international scouting process.
...to Team GB?
Bahamians are eligible to play for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic - an international competition that is the closest thing the sport has to a World Cup.
Chisholm was part of the squad for this year's tournament in March - just weeks before the MLB season - and did not disappoint, captaining the team and batting in three runs in an 8-1 defeat of Brazil.
He has made no secret of his desire to represent Britain at the Olympics, but there are several hurdles to overcome.
First, the team have to qualify.
Only one European nation can book their spot in LA when qualifying takes place next year. The competition is open, but GB would probably have to go further than Italy, who unexpectedly beat the USA in reaching the semi-finals of the World Baseball Classic.
Then there are the eligibility criteria. Only athletes who are legally British citizens can compete for Team GB at the Olympics, so Chisholm would have to apply for a British passport.
The final sticking point is the Olympics fall right in the middle of the MLB season, so an agreement still needs to be reached to release players.
An 11-day mid-season break is the latest proposal that may suit all sides as the MLB aims to minimise disruption to its season and the International Olympic Committee looks to ensure it is able to showcase the game's best players.
"I think when you see an Olympic competition, you expect to see best on best," IOC sports director Pierre Ducrey told the BBC.
"Baseball is a sport proposed by LA28, so they are leading those conversations but we, of course, support as much as we can with the hope that come 2028, we're going to see the best of the best going at it in the Dodgers Stadium."
A shorter-term goal
For Chisholm, the Olympics can wait for now - because the immediate goal is to help the Yankees in their quest to secure a 28th World Series title.
The Yankees haven't won the big prize since 2009, making this their longest run without the title since 1920.
They fell agonisingly short last season - losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deciding game of the seven-game World Series - but are on course to reach the post-season again in 2026.
That gives Chisholm a route to living up to the tag he has been given to his team-mates - help the Yankees secure that long-awaited title.
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Zyhir Hope #13 of the Tulsa Drillers celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning during a game against the Arkansas Travelers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“My shoulder pain completely went away. I really feel the chips were what was (causing it),” said Snell, who pitched with shoulder discomfort for two seasons. “I couldn’t feel these fingers (ring and pinkie on his left hand). They were kind of numb (for about a year and a half) but I don’t need them so I didn’t really care.
“Once they (the loose bodies) came out, I was like, ‘Wow, I can feel my fingers.’ … I was just, ‘It’s probably nerve damage from throwing. Whatever.’ And this (taps shoulder) was never getting better. We were doing everything. I was, ‘I don’t get this.’
Player of the day
With the trade deadline on Monday, prospect awareness is at a high point of the season. Zyhir Hope is a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport, and continued his fine season for Double-A Tulsa with two home runs in a three-hit game on Friday.
Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic on Friday morning wrote that Hope was “one name Los Angeles would be open to moving, according to multiple team sources.”
Friday capped the best month of Hope’s career, with 10 home runs and 28 RBI while hitting .372/.439/.745 with 24 runs scored and six steals in 23 games in July.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Alek Thomas hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the Comets over the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s).
James Tibbs III tripled, doubled, and singled in the win.
Ben Casparius in his third rehab game for the Comets threw only five of his 21 pitches for strikes in a wild sixth inning. He walked four batters and allowed a run. Nick Robertson relieved and stranded all three runners. Casparius thus far in his rehab assignment has walked eight of his 14 batters faced, with two strikeouts.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers scored seven runs early, then seven runs late to out-slug the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals) by seven runs on Friday.
In addition to Hope’s two homers, fellow top outfield prospects Josue De Paula — home run, double, single — and Mike Sirota — home run, single — shone on Friday, as did shortstop Elijah Hainline, who homered and doubled.
Zach Root’s first two innings were scoreless but walked three batters in a shaky third inning and couldn’t complete the frame, letting in four runs.
Myles Caba followed Root with seven outs and didn’t allow a run. Kelvin Ramirez struck out five in two scoreless innings of relief.
High-A Great Lakes
Jakob Wright allowed the tying run in the seventh and three runs in the eighth in the Loons’ loss to the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres). Wright allowed six hits and three walks while recording just four outs in the loss in relief
Great Lakes didn’t have a hit until the seventh inning, but actually held a led before that, albeit briefly. The Loons scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning thanks to three walks, a passed ball, and a sacrifice fly. Jaron Elkins had that first single, and also singled again with two outs in the ninth inning. Those with the only two hits for Great Lakes all night.
Brady Smith had a rough High-A debut last weekend, but on Friday he pitched into the sixth inning for just the third time as a pro. Smith struck out five in his 5 1/3 innings and allowed only one run, which scored on a double in the sixth inning, the first run scored by either team in this one.
Class-A Ontario
Four crooked-number innings spelled doom for the Tower Buzzers in a blowout loss to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).
Luis Carias allowed five runs without completing the first inning. He only allowed one single but walked four in an inning exacerbated by a throwing error at second base.
Ching-Hsien Ko singled home a pair in the fifth inning for Ontario’s only runs of the game. Fresno tacked on a dozen more runs over the final four innings, thanks in part to 13 walks by Ontario’s pitching staff.
Easton Marks got the final 12 outs in scoreless fashion for Fresno to earn a four-inning save.
To keep this feature going, I’m going to post simply the WPA numbers and plays of the game, and a poll so you can vote on your choice for Player of the Game. Thomas will update the Rizzo Award standings when he returns.
Game 110, July 31: Yankees 2, Cubs 0 (62-48)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Ramirez was the only Cubs hitter with positive WPA in this game. The only other Cub with positive WPA was Tyler Ferguson (.013), who threw one scoreless inning.
WPA Play of the Game: Amed Rosario’s solo homer in the fourth (.136).
Cubs Play of the Game: Ramirez’s single with one out in the ninth (.060).
Just four other Cubs plays had positive WPA: Ian Happ’s single with Alex Bregman on first in the seventh (.036), Miguel Amaya’s double in the third (.025), Ramirez’s single in the first (.024) and Bregman’s single in the seventh (.022).
Up next: The Yankees will send left-hander Max Fried against Cubs left-hander David Peterson.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 31: Braden Montgomery #24 of the Chicago White Sox celebrates a win over the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game at Tropicana Field on July 31, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After making the trip across Chicago, the Yankees opened their series on the North Side with a win over the Cubs on Friday afternoon. Led by a good outing from Will Warren, the Yankees got homers from Amed Rosario and Spencer Jones, and that proved to be enough for a victory.
Thanks to the win, the Yankees broke their little two-game losing streak, and had a chance to gain some ground back in their various playoff races. Did they, though? Let’s check in on what happened around the AL in today’s Rivalry Roundup.
Chicago White Sox (58-51) 6, Tampa Bay Rays (64-45) 1
While the White Sox took a pair of games off the Yankees earlier this week, they did give them a bit of a hand on Friday night. The Yankees were able pick up a full game in the AL East, as an early onslaught by the White Sox allowed them to pull away from and beat the Rays. Tampa Bay now leads by 2.5 games.
Chicago never trailed in this game, as they took a led in the top of the first on a Miguel Vargas home run. Andrew Benintendi added another in the second, while Munetaka Murakami hit his 24th of the year, a two-run shot in the third to really open up a lead.
Junior Caminero got Tampa Bay on the board with a home run of his own—one of the longest you’ll ever see at the Trop, sailing 453 feet hitting the “D” ring of the catwalk—but the Rays managed just five hits in total for the game, and Chicago ended up tacking another couple runs on later with Colson Montgomery obliterating one of his own. Erick Fedde scattered just the one run on four hits over five innings, and his bullpen blanked the Rays the rest of the way. His Pale Hose pace the AL Central by three games.
Other Games
Boston Red Sox (58-51) 9, Los Angeles Dodgers (69-41) 4: While the Dodgers held a lead after putting up a three spot in the fifth on Ranger Suarez, the Red Sox stayed hot and stormed back to come away with the win. Ceddanne Rafaela homered to give Boston the lead back, and they tacked on another couple runs, putting up four in the seventh, giving them the lead for good. The Red Sox finished July at a staggering 21-4; one can only hope that August cools them down.
Arizona Diamondbacks (58-52), Cleveland Guardians (56-55) 1: The White Sox did the Yankees a favor in helping them pick up a full game in the standings, and they were rewarded by picking up a full one themselves. The Guardians scored in the first inning and held the lead for most of this game, but Arizona put up a four-spot in the eighth to steal the advantage and the win. Cleveland was five outs away from a victory, but six straight D-backs hitters reached base, with a Gabriel Moreno two-run single giving them the lead for good.
Houston Astros (56-55) 11, Texas Rangers (55-55) 2: Our long national nightmare has returned: the Astros are in first place in the AL West. They’re only a win over .500, but that’s all they need right now in a wretched AL West. Led by a Yordan Alvarez two-run single, Houston scored three runs in the second inning and continued to pour it on from there. On the mound, Hunter Brown did end up allowing a couple innings, but he struck out five in 5.2 innings and mostly kept Texas at bat as the Astros pulled away, slugging three home runs on the day.
Minnesota Twins (56-55) 5, Seattle Mariners (53-58) 3: After the Mariners led for much of the game, a two-run seventh inning by the Twins flipped things in their favor. Seattle held 2-0 and 3-2 leads after the first and second innings respectively and got a solid enough outing by starter Bryce Miller. However, Minnesota jumped ahead for the first time with on a Luke Keaschall double in the seventh and held on from there. The M’s continue to fade as the season heats up while the buying Twins are actually tied with the Guardians for both second place in the AL Central and the final Wild Card spot, half a game up on Texas and 1.5 ahead of Baltimore.
FORT WORTH, TX - JULY 14: Cam Caminiti puts on a Braves hat after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the 24th pick of the first round during the 2024 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Cowtown Coliseum on Sunday, July 14, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Stripers bats were held in check most of the night, in their narrow defeat to the Durham Bulls.
Owen Murphy got the start for the Stripers and put together a solid, but not spectacular start. He danced around a lot of work on the bases as he surrendered 9 hits in just 4.2 innings along with a pair of walks but he and the rest of the pitching staff were able to avoid any huge innings because the Stripers limited the Bulls to 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, making them strand 11 on base. Owen’s velocity held pretty solidly through the 84 pithes he threw, with his final pitch being a four-seam fastball at 92 MPH that still had 19” IVB on it. For the game Owen generated 13 whiffs so despite the contact, he still got the job done for the most part. Owen allowed a solo home run in the fourth, and a two run double in the fifth for all damage done to him. He was replaced by Hayden Harris (1.1IP 1H 0R 1BB 3K) who continued his recent run of success with a dominant appearance. The last pitcher of the game for the Stripers was Ian Hamilton (2IP 0H 1R 0ER 0BB 2K).
Offensively the Stripers struggled – collecting six total hits, with no extra-base hits. As a team they went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position, and stranded five on base. All of the damage came in the ninth inning when the Stripers tried to storm from behind to tie the game. The first run scored on a bases loaded walk to Brett Wisely who drove in Brewer Hicklen. After Kyle Farmer struck out to be the second out of the inning, DaShawn Keirsey kept the hope alive with a two run single to make the game 3-4 in favor of the Bulls but Jair Camargo would strike out to end the game.
After recording seven phenomenal innings out of Brett Sears the bullpen collapsed, allowing for a dramatic come from behind victory for the Trash Pandas.
Brett Sears got the start and was dominant, generating 21 whiffs across seven innings of work. Of those five hits he allowed just one extra-base hit, a double. His five pitch mix of four-seam, two-seam, cutter, slider, curveball kept the Trash Pandas bats pretty much silent as he weaved the pitches throughout the zone. For a player signed for $12,500 it’s been a very strong year, and professional career to be honest for Brett Sears who is in his second full season, but comes in at 26 years of age. Will be interesting to see how the Braves work with him moving forward because his arsenal last night was that of someone that could pitch in the majors. He replaced by Tyler LaPorte (1.2IP 1H 3ER 1BB 2K) who surrendered the first three runs of the game to the Trash Pandas. He was replaced by Blane Abeyta (1.1IP 2H 3R 2ER 1BB 2K) who pitched the 10th inning with the game tied 3-3, but gave up three runs.
The offense for the Clingstones was real spotty as they scored two runs in the second thanks to Adam Zebrowski who is clearly locked in. After a 3 100 MPH+ EV day, Zebrowski got the offense going for the Clingstones with his 10th home run of the season.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) July 31, 2026
The Clingstones would then add on another run the following inning when Luke Waddell connected on his seven home run of the season to put the Clingstones up 3-0. The offense was then held scoreless until the 10th inning when Keshan Ogans drove in Ambioris Tavarez with a sacrifice fly – but that was all that she wrote for the Clingstones as they were still down two at the time, and were unable to complete the comeback.
(49-48) Rome Emperors 5, (44-56) Hub City Spartanburgers 2
Cam Caminiti stole the show in absolutely dominant fashion, putting together one of the craziest lines I’ve ever seen in a minor league game as he registered an absurd THIRTY-THREE whiffs in just 6.2 innings of work. The Emperors offense did enough to make the pitching display hold up, in a big win for the Rome Emperors.
Cam Caminiti got the start and was absolutely dominant for the Rome Emperors. He masterfully moved his four-seam to the top of the zone consistently, while landing his sweepers at the edges. His cutters were thrown near the edges generating whiffs of their own in what was just an absolutely absurd start. Across the first three innings of the game, Cam struck out 7 of them. By every definition, this was just an absolutely fantastic start by a prospect who has done just great job adding 4 new pitches to his arsenal this season. There are not really many words to describe the display, so just enjoy the montage.
Another left-handed Braves pitcher with a nasty slider 👀
He was relieved by Mathieu Curtis (2.1IP 2H 1ER 1BB 2K) who pitched the final 2.1 innings and preserved the win for the Emperors.
Offensively the Emperors got enough done on a day where the offense was a bit disjointed. As a team the Emperors went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, but stranded just three on base the entire game. They struck out 11 times, but also walked seven. Most of the damage came in the decisive fifth inning when the Emperors scored four runs. A bases loaded walk by Colin Burgess was the first run, then John Gil drove in a run with an RBI single to make it 2-0. Eric Hartman would then ground into a force out that drove in Colby Jones to make it 3-0 Rome, and the final run scored on an errant pick off throw to third. They would add another run in the eighth, and it was mainly due to the terror that is Eric Hartman on the bases. Eric would walk with one out, take second on a wild pitch, and then steal third before taking on another throwing error by a pitcher allowed Hartman to score for the Emperors final run of the game.
(51-49) Colombia Fireflies 7, (55-45) Augusta GreenJackets 8
The GreenJackets survived a wild comeback as they scored all eight of their runs in the games final four innings. They survived a rough starting pitching display by Luis Arestigueta and were able to collect 15 hits and six walks in their dramatic win.
Luis Arestigueta (4.2IP 10H 6ER 2BB 0K) got the start for the GreenJackets and his 2026 struggles continued as he allowed 10 hits, four extra-base hits, across 4.2 innings. He did not strike out a single batter, while allowing 6 ER to score. After a promising 2024, it’s been a struggle for Luis, as he was even sent down to the FCL where he unfortunately struggled there as well. He was replaced by Logan Forsythe (2.1IP 3H 0R 0BB 3K) who responded well, giving the GreenJackets zeroes, while also giving them some length. The final pitcher of the game for the GreenJackets was Critobal Abreu (2IP 2H 1ER 4BB 2K) who struggled with his command, walking four, but picked up the win as he was able to do just enough while the GreenJackets offense took hold.
After finding themselves down 2-0, Junior Garcia got the GreenJackets on the board in the second inning as he drove in Nick Montgomery with a ground ball to first. Augusta would be held scoreless until the sixth inning when Cooper McMurray got things started with a two run single that lessened the gap to 6-3. Junior Garcia would follow that up with a sacrifice fly of his own to make it 6-4. The following inning it was none other than Conor Essenburg who hit an RBI triple, just missing a home run, to make it a one run game at 6-5.
Two batters later it was Juan Mateo who would drive in Conor, with a single to tie the game at 6-6. After allowing a run to score in the top of the 8th, it was Conor Essenburg who tied it up again, this time with a sacrifice fly that drove in Junior Garcia. With the game tied at 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Junior Garcia would hit it to center where CFer Sean Gamble dropped the ball allowing Juan Mateo to score, and giving them the walk off win.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 29: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners gets set against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Mariners reliever and current Tiger Will Vest is undergoing season-ending elbow surgery. He is also planning to get a hip procedure done while he’s out.
Players and owners have much to argue about during these CBA negotiations, but among those things is what constitutes “an even 50-50 split,” writes Evan Drellich at The Athletic. ($)
Everyone prepare yourselves for the big bomb this weekend…
Anders’ picks…
Chris Thompson at Defector gave his thoughts on the Portland Trail Blazers’ nightmare situation with their new owner Tom Dundon who may move the team if he doesn’t get someone else to pay for his new arena.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 06: Maikel Garcia #11 of the Kansas City Royals looks on against the Minnesota Twins on June 6, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This is the real moment that I believe the “anyone but him” answer is arguably the right one. I said it before. You can’t bring Strahm in to that spot. See if you can blow the doors of Clemens. He’s hitting .140 with a .193 SLG this year on pitches coming in at 96 MPH or harder. Putting in Strahm in this spot doesn’t teach the Royals anything, though the stats indicate it wasn’t a terrible move with Strahm entering the game having allowed a .235/.264/.353 line with just one home run. But if you’re using the rest of this season to learn what you have and don’t have for 2027, Pearson is the move and not Strahm.
So yeah, I think Quatraro got it wrong. I also don’t know if there’s a right answer. That’s kind of the story of the 2026 season.
Cameron didn’t get a single called strike on the change, but did get five misses on 15 swings. He alternated with his cutter for the first pitch and got five strikes on six pitches. Add those first pitches (his change and cutter) together and you have 12 first-pitch strikes in 14 at bats.
Getting ahead in the count is key for any pitcher. Cameron is no different, but it’s something he really needs to do to have success. Coming into Thursday’s game, the lefty throttles opposing hitters when jumping ahead with the first strike, allowing a .201/.229/.333 line with an 84 OPS+ if he gets ahead. That means he’s 16 percent better than league average. Conversely, if Cameron throws a ball out of the zone with his first pitch, opposing batters hit .293/.399/.484 with a 117 OPS+. That’s a massive difference in outcomes. It made a difference on Thursday.
You won’t believe this, but a Royals player had a setback recovering from injury. Maikel Garcia has been pulled from his rehab assignment.
This coincides with Maikel Garcia seeing a hand specialist.#Royals MGM Matt Quatraro: “Maikel got his imaging today. He’s going to see a hand specialist early next week just to make sure we’re not missing anything.” https://t.co/aQdfivOPD4
— Jaylon T. Thompson (@jaylonthompson) July 31, 2026
“He’s doing great,” said manager Matt Quatraro. “… We anticipate him playing when we get back home.”
The rationale behind having Witt — who is on the injured list for the first time in his career — get an extra few days of rest even though he was eligible to come off the IL on Friday, was caution.
With only a handful of teams significantly out of the playoff race, Kansas City is positioned to be one of the very few true sellers at the deadline. That scarcity could increase demand for available starters and give the Royals an opportunity to command a stronger return for Wacha than they might receive in a more balanced market.
This barren starting pitching market and opportunity to sell high on him is only made more attractive by the reality that Wacha’s timeline may not line up with Kansas City’s any longer.
Despite the Royals’ postseason appearance in 2024, the franchise still appears to be further away from sustained contention than that breakthrough season suggested.
But when Ávila falls behind, the entire structure changes. Plate appearances become longer, hitters become more patient, and instead of forcing decisions, Ávila is forced to react to them. The first sign appears in his Chase%. In 2025, he ranked in the 75th percentile. Hitters chased pitches outside the strike zone because his sequencing created enough pressure to make them uncomfortable. In 2026, that number has collapsed to the 19th percentile.
Opponents are no longer chasing. They are controlling the at-bat. That change naturally impacts his ability to miss bats. Ávila’s Whiff% has fallen from the 85th percentile to the 40th. With fewer swings and misses, he is reaching deeper counts and needing more precise execution to finish hitters. That has created the next problem: walks
Royals 2026 first-round pick Zion Rose makes his pro debut.
