On the latest episode of CC Sabathia’s podcast, MLB According to CC, the Yankees legend previewed how the Padres will stack up against the Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball, with San Diego and Los Angeles set to lead one of Star-Spangled Sunday's marquee matchups at 7pm ET on NBC and Peacock.
Sabathia said the Padres “need Tatis driving the ball out of the yard” in order for them to compete, not only in critical four-game series, but as season-long challengers to the Dodgers' NL West supremacy. With Tatis Jr. seemingly free from his early-season struggles, the Padres head to their division rivals with some momentum.
This weekend's showdown will mark the first time this season the two teams have met in Los Angeles. “Dodgers and Padres fans really go at it,” said the Hall of Famer looking ahead to the series.
The Dodgers are 4-2 against the Padres this season, with better numbers than their division rival in most categories across the board. As of July 1, San Diego sits 12 games outside of first place, leaving the Friars with plenty of work to do in Southern California this weekend. It's the largest gap between the top two teams in any division so far this year.
Mason Miller and Tanner Scott may possess baseball’s best sliders. CC Sabathia dives into both elite pitches, highlighting how he threw his own back in the day.
Watch Star-Spangled Sunday on July 5, where all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock, NBC and NBCSN. Every team. Every game. One home.
The Calgary Flames are losing a familiar spark on the wing, as Ryan Lomberg has signed a two-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, bringing his second stint in Calgary to a close.
Lomberg’s return to the Flames organization saw him once again fill a role built on speed, grit, and relentless physicality. Across his two stints in Calgary, including his original run from 2017-18 through 2019-20 and his most recent two-year stretch, the 31-year-old appeared in 148 games, recording seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points.
That production, however, only tells part of the story. Lomberg’s impact was defined just as much by his energy and physical presence as it was by the scoresheet, a style that carried over throughout his NHL career.
The Blue Jackets officially announced the signing on Wednesday, with President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell highlighting exactly what Columbus is getting.
“We’re very pleased to add Ryan Lomberg to the Blue Jackets family,” said Waddell. “He is a high-energy player who is an excellent skater, plays with tenacity and his experience and character will be a great addition to our team.”
Across 394 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers, Lomberg has registered 35 goals and 37 assists for 72 points, along with 475 penalty minutes and 807 hits, carving out a role as a physical, energy-driven winger. He also contributed to Florida’s 2024 Stanley Cup championship run, appearing in 32 playoff games across his career with 3 points and 64 penalty minutes.
Lomberg’s most productive NHL season came in 2022-23 with Florida, when he posted 12 goals and 8 assists over 82 games while adding a career-high 88 penalty minutes the following year with 179 hits in 75 appearances.
Before establishing himself as an NHL regular, the 5-foot-9 winger built his reputation through the American Hockey League, ECHL, and USHL, including a productive stretch with the Stockton Heat where he developed into a professional-level agitator and forechecking presence.
Now heading to Columbus on a two-year deal worth $2.6 million, Lomberg brings a well-defined identity to a Blue Jackets roster looking to add toughness and energy to its forward group, while Calgary moves forward after another chapter with one of its more recognizable depth pieces comes to an end.
After acquiring Brandon Duhaime, Sergei Bobrovsky, Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger and Colton Sissons with new contracts, he traded for Tampa Bay Lightning center Nick Paul in exchange for Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick.
Paul, a Mississauga native, comes to Toronto with three more years remaining on his contract at a $3.15 million salary cap hit.
The 31-year-old has been an effective middle-six player for the Lightning, spending parts of the past five seasons with the team.
This past year, Paul has scored seven goals and 15 points in 51 games, losing plenty of ice time to the other stars that occupy Tampa Bay's lineup.
However, in the two seasons before 2025-26, Paul recorded back-to-back 20-goal, 40-point campaigns while averaging 16:52 between those two years. He had a far more important role than in the past season, when he played just 13:41 of ice time per game.
Going out the other way, Hildeby has emerged as a promising young goaltender in the NHL. The 24-year-old played 20 games for the Maple Leafs in 2025-26, recording an impressive .914 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average.
With two years remaining on the contract that sees him earn $841,667 against the cap, Hildeby is not waiver-exempt next season. With the addition of Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz already with the NHL tandem, there was a risk of losing Hildeby for nothing.
Instead, Chayka is able to bring in a solid NHL player in Paul, someone who has terrorized the Maple Leafs with the Lightning and the Ottawa Senators over the years.
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Very few could have predicted that the Chicago White Sox would lead the AL Central three months into the 2026 season. That's why Hall of Famer CC Sabathia believes they are the "surprise of the summer," entering July as the slight division leader over the Guardians. The youthful White Sox hit the road this weekend for a key division series in Cleveland, which sits just outside of first place, where they'll face off on Star-Spangled Sunday at 2pm ET, with all 15 MLB games available nationally on Peacock, NBC and NBCSN on July 5.
In the latest episode of his podcast, MLB According to CC, Sabathia evaluated the road ahead for the White Sox as they look to stick around in the American League playoff race. It's been a dramatic turnaround for a franchise that has lost 100+ games in each of the past three seasons, headlined by a dismal 2024 where they finished 41-121, the worst record in modern MLB history. The 2026 White Sox are fun and energetic, headlined by a core of young talent which Sabathia described as "a year or maybe two ahead of schedule."
The White Sox's recent success has largely come via the long ball. Since June 17, the White Sox lead the league in home runs (18, as of July 1). One of the offensive catalysts has been 23-year-old left fielder Sam Antonacci, who is enjoying an excellent rookie campaign with an OPS above .800. Miguel Vargas, Colston Montgomery, and Munetaka Murakami have also had big years at the plate so far in the South Side. All four are 26 years or younger. That's not to mention Braden Montgomery, Jacob Gonzalez, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, all of whom stand as key pieces of the organization's future.
"When you got a young team like that and they're all feeding off each other, you don't know any better," Sabathia said. "You're just going out every single day trying to win a ball game, it's fun to watch them come out with this much energy."
The White Sox will look to take their momentum into this weekend and the rest of the summer as they chase their first division title since 2021. With just a handful of AL teams above .500 and a Central division that is "treading water," a joyous return to October could be in the cards for the Sox.
Watch Star-Spangled Sunday on July 5, where all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock, NBC and NBCSN. Every team. Every game. One home.
Jul 1, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) is safe at home plat as Texas Rangers catcher Elias Diaz (35) loses control of the ball during the second inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored four runs but the Cleveland Guardians scored nine runs.
I will simply choose to be glad that A. the Rangers enjoyed a successful road trip against all odds and B. the road trip has now concluded.
Despite this one appearing to be an imminently winnable contest (after all, Texas did have 12 opportunities with RISP of which they only converted three while also leaving nine on base), a MacKenzie Gore flareup inning in the bottom of the second put the Rangers in a 5-0 hole and that’s usually not something teams come back from.
It seemed like the Rangers might, though. They got to within 5-3 in the middle innings and had base runners and chances littered throughout but, in a game reminiscent of darker times from this season, they couldn’t get the big hit to get over the hump.
After getting the first two hitters on in the top of the seventh down a couple runs, Joc Pederson K’d in a pinch hit spot and then Josh Smith hit into a double play. That was the second double play that erased a prime scoring chance for Texas as Cam Cauley was doubled up to end a bases loaded threat in the top of the third.
Cole Winn was in the game for the bottom of the seventh and, well, you know what that usually means. Winn allowed a run and a hit that eventually came around to score to give Cleveland a comfortable lead.
Also, once the wheels kind of came off, Winston Santos finally got to make his MLB debut. After a shaky first few pitches, Santos got through his first inning as a big leaguer technically still sporting a 0.00 ERA despite allowing an inherited run to score. That did not last for long, however, as Santos was asked to finish things off with a second inning and old hero Austin Hedges took him deep for a two-run dong.
The Rangers are beat up. Probably like 60% of the roster would be in Round Rock if the FO had their druthers. They’ve played like 40 games in a row. They’ve played the most road games in baseball so far this season. They’ve played like 80 road games in a row. They’ve won some games they’ve had no business winning. I suppose for today we owe them a blind eye for an ugly afternoon.
Even with everything being familiarly weird for the Texas Rangers, and a blowout loss in this finale, they return home having enjoyed a 7-3 road trip which propelled them back over .500 and atop the AL West.
Player of the Game: Elias Diaz had a couple of hits and a couple of RBIs and also smacked his first home run as a Ranger. Unfortunately it was a solo shot in a 7-3 game and one of the rare moments that the Rangers didn’t have someone on the bases for them to strand.
Up Next: While the rest of the world has come down with a case of World Cup fever, the Rangers probably aren’t as thrilled about it. At least not this weekend.
There’s a World Cup Round of 32 match being played across the home parking lot on Friday which means, instead of getting a day off tomorrow, the Rangers fly out of Cleveland and immediately begin a home series against Detroit tomorrow night before getting their first rest in over two weeks on Friday after which the series will resume on Saturday.
RHP Nathan Eovaldi will pitch for Texas in the opener opposite LHP Framber Valdez. The Thursday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can catch it on the Rangers Sports Network.
Free agency opened with a familiar theme for the Los Angeles Kings: experience, depth, and immediate roster turnover.
Defenseman Erik Gustafsson became the latest addition Wednesday, signing a one-year contract as the organization continues reshaping its roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. The signing was first reported by Swedish journalist Henrik Sjöberg and later confirmed by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
But Gustafsson was just one piece of a much larger and noticeably busy day in Los Angeles.
Alongside his addition, the Kings re-signed veteran winger Corey Perry, who returns for his 23rd professional season after spending time with the Tampa Bay Lightning last year. The club also added forward Erik Haula and Jan Jeník while bringing back winger Mats Zuccarello, reinforcing a clear emphasis on experience and depth throughout the lineup.
Gustafsson arrives after spending most of the 2025-26 season in the Detroit Red Wings organization, where he suited up for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League. In 62 combined games between the AHL and brief NHL appearances, the 34-year-old produced 37 points at the minor-league level and logged two NHL games with Detroit.
He also appeared in eight Calder Cup Playoff games, adding a goal and five assists as Grand Rapids made a postseason run.
While his most recent season was spent largely in the AHL, Gustafsson brings a long NHL track record into Los Angeles. Across 10 seasons, he has played 517 regular-season games, recording 47 goals and 193 assists for 240 points while averaging 18:31 of ice time.
His offensive peak came in 2018-19 with the Chicago Blackhawks, when he posted 17 goals and 43 assists for 60 points in a breakout campaign that established him as one of the league’s more productive puck-moving defensemen. He has also logged 49 career playoff appearances, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final with the Montreal Canadiens in 2021.
Over the course of his career, Gustafsson has become a well-traveled depth defenseman, having suited up for the Blackhawks, Flyers, Rangers, Capitals, Flames, Maple Leafs, Canadiens, and Red Wings.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, the Swedish blueliner also developed overseas in Sweden’s top league before transitioning to North America full-time.
For Los Angeles, his arrival adds another experienced option on the blue line as the organization continues leaning heavily into veteran presence on what was already one of the NHL’s older rosters last season.
The Kings finished 2025-26 with a 35-27-20 record, good for 90 points and a fourth-place finish in the Pacific Division before being eliminated in the opening round by the Colorado Avalanche.
And with free agency only just beginning, the day in Los Angeles already looks like it may be one of the busiest of the offseason.
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas (1) shoots in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Meleek Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million deal. Thomas was selected 34th overall by the Cavs last week in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Thomas played 37 games with Arkansas last year as a freshman. He averaged 15.7 points and 3.8 rebounds as a 6’3” sharpshooting combo-guard. The Cavs are excited to add an efficient shot-maker like Thomas to their roster.
“We were excited that he was available in the second round,” said POBO Koby Altman after selecting Thomas. “Usually, a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier.”
The first three years of the deal, worth $6.4 million, are guaranteed to Thomas.
Thomas shot above 40% from deep as a freshman. His marksmanship is one of the main reasons Cleveland targeted him in the draft despite him being a guard. The Cavs are loaded in the backcourt, but Thomas was too skilled for them to pass on.
Thomas doesn’t view the guards in front of him as obstacles, however. He plans on learning everything he can from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
“There’s a lot of great guards on the team ahead of me already, so just learning, pick their brain on what they did when they were rookies,” said Thomas. “Ultimately, all the knowledge that I gain from James, Donovan, any of the guards… me gaining knowledge from the ones that have been here, that’s gonna help me.”
The Cavs aren’t in a position to give Thomas many reps during his rookie season. This is a team that is ready to compete for a title and potentially even welcome home LeBron James (again). That means patience will be key in developing the 19-year-old rookie.
Adding to his 190-pound frame is one of his main goals.
“The Cavs have a great strength program going on, so my physicality… and just some of the high-level things that I might not know that rookies get adjusted to,” said Thomas on his focus for development.
Thomas shows promise as a three-point shooter who took steps forward as a defender last year. Those are two skills that every NBA team can use more of.
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 01: Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Olivia Vega/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Orioles did not get swept by the White Sox. They decided to try something different in the series finale, getting a good outing from the starting pitcher, a respectable amount of offense, and a clean game on defense. They would be higher up in the standings if they got this more often. On Wednesday afternoon, it was the recipe for a 6-1 victory to avoid the sweep. It’s better than if they’d lost, but there is, of course, a lot of work still to do.
Early in the game, the signs were there of this thing going in a different direction. Starting pitcher Dean Kremer returned from the injured list to make the start after an absence of nearly two and a half months. He allowed a home run on the second pitch he threw. The Orioles trailed immediately in the game, down 1-0 as soon as rookie leadoff man Sam Antonacci finished rounding the bases.
This did not turn out to be the start of a disastrous return for Kremer. He retired the next 11 batters he faced and, with a little help from his friends, even once that streak came to an end, he still kept the White Sox off the board. Kremer’s 11-in-a-row was interrupted with two outs in the fourth inning as outfielder Braden Montgomery came maybe one inch away from hitting a home run. Montgomery hit a fly ball that bounced off the back edge of the right-center field fence padding, close enough that the Sox insisted on a crew chief review to check if this was actually a home run. It wasn’t.
Kremer walked the next batter, Jacob Gonzalez. An ongoing problem for Orioles pitchers this year has been getting that last out to stop a two-out rally from getting out of hand. That was nearly the story again on Wednesday, as Chase Meidroth slashed a line drive the other way towards right field. Tyler O’Neill got a good jump, gave chase, and made a great diving catch to stop Chicago from adding on more runs. No, really, O’Neill did something good. More on that in a moment.
Chicago’s leadoff man reached in the fifth inning. That was Tristan Peters, who hit a single. Helpfully for the Orioles, the White Sox made the tactically poor decision to have shortstop Luisangel Acuña drop an attempted sacrifice bunt. Acuña wasn’t good at it, with Kremer throwing out Peters at second base. Acuña compounded his negative contribution by attempting to steal second base, during which he was thrown out as Adley Rutschman made an excellent throw. Rutschman has now thrown out 15 of 40 runners this year. That’s a 37.5% rate, absolutely elite stuff.
Through all of this, the Orioles offense mustered zero hits. They had nothing to show through the first four innings of the game except for three walks. Better to have the three walks than not, but still. Sheesh. Get some hits!
It was O’Neill who broke the no-hitter before anyone really had to start wondering, “Geez, what if this White Sox pitcher who brought an over 5 ERA into the game throws a no-hitter?” Noah Schultz, a recent top 30ish prospect in the game, also returned from the injured list for this start. Schultz is notable for being 6’10” but more relevant to facing the Orioles, is left-handed. That’s their curse this year.
Schultz threw O’Neill a sweeper that didn’t quite sweep enough. The Canada native did not miss on Canada Day, blasting a mammoth home run 430 feet to left field to tie the game at 1-1.
Within three batters, Schultz’s day was done. The last two he faced were Jackson Holliday and Blaze Alexander, who walked and singled, respectively. Chicago turned to reliever Bryan Hudson to stop the rally. Instead, the Orioles continued the conga line around the bases. Gunnar Henderson added a single to load the bases with one out. Another curse for the Orioles this year, at times, is performance with the bases loaded. Could they write a different story today?
The answer turned out to be yes. Following Henderson, Rutschman hit a line drive that went out to the outfield so fast that there was no opportunity for any runner to advance more than 90 feet. This gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead, one that, it turned out, would be enough to win the game. Thankfully, they kept scoring anyway. Taylor Ward added a sacrifice fly, after which Chicago changed pitchers again. The next reliever, Trevor Richards, brought home a fourth Orioles run as he hurled a wild pitch. You may note that this means the Orioles scored all three runners after first loading the bases with one out. They should try that more often.
Staked to a three-run lead, Kremer gave up a single to the first Sox batter he faced before retiring the next three in order. Though he wasn’t at a high pitch count, the Orioles did not push him beyond six innings in his first start back from the injured list. Kremer’s final line with 79 pitches thrown was six innings with one run allowed on four hits and a walk. Chicago did not score again after their first batter of the game.
Alexander delivered an RBI triple for the fifth Orioles run, and later on, Leody Taveras homered for the third time this season to set the score at its 6-1 final. The O’s had the same number of hits in the game as they did walks, and they made a good showing out of their scoring chances. As we know, this is not guaranteed this year.
Even though the Orioles had a five-run lead, they were warming up closer Ryan Helsley to pitch the ninth inning just to get him an inning of work to keep him from getting rusty. Helsley never made it into the game. His warmup tosses were shut down and MASN cameras showed him sitting back down in the bullpen, holding his right elbow area ominously. After the game, manager Craig Albernaz said there was elbow discomfort. Helsley will get checked out further. That’s a sour lingering taste from a nice win.
The 40-48 Orioles have a day off on Thursday before resuming their season in Cincinnati for a 4th of July weekend series against the Reds. Trevor Rogers and Brady Singer are currently listed as the scheduled starting pitchers for the 7:10 Friday opening game of the series.
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It has been a tradition for many years on Camden Chat to nominate a Most Birdland Player of the game after every victory. What does “Most Birdland” mean? Each person must search themselves and decide. In some cases, this is the game’s most valuable player. In other cases, it does not. Give us your pick in the comments below.
Nick Jensen's two-year run with the Ottawa Senators officially came to an end on the opening day of free agency Wednesday, as the veteran defenceman signed a two-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks worth an average annual value of $2.2 million.
Jensen arrived in Ottawa in the summer of 2024 after then-new general manager Steve Staios acquired him from the Washington Capitals in an effort to rebalance the Senators' blue line. Ottawa also received a third-round draft pick in the deal, but the price tag for the two assets was significant.
Steve Warne said earlier this week he believed that there's a 50/50 chance that Giroux leaves the Senators in free agency.
The Capitals landed Jakob Chychrun, who followed up the trade with back-to-back 20-goal seasons, including a 26-goal, 60-point campaign this year.
At the time, however, the 2024 trade made sense from Ottawa's perspective.
Chychrun was just one year away from unrestricted free agency, and with Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson already occupying the left side while carrying cap hits north of $8 million, it was difficult to justify keeping a third expensive left-shot defenceman.
But that didn't stop a lot of Senators fans from feeling like Ottawa had sold low. Even acknowledging that Jensen was a better roster fit, many believed Staios could have extracted more than Jensen and a third-round pick in return.
Early on, Jensen looked like exactly the type of steady, veteran presence the Senators had hoped for. The veteran brought a calming influence to Ottawa's top four and was a perfect fit alongside Chabot.
But injuries soon became a problem.
Jensen broke down near the end of his first season and underwent hip surgery in May of last year. Although he recovered in time for opening night this season, he never quite looked like the same player afterward. He managed just 61 games this past season, recording four goals and 13 assists before his year ended on injured reserve.
Both Jensen and the Ducks will be hoping a healthy offseason leads to a significant bounce-back campaign in Anaheim.
As for the Senators, Jensen and the third-rounder are both gone. But on its way out, that pick did help Ottawa land another asset back in March.
That selection was packaged with a second-round pick at this year's trade deadline to acquire forward Warren Foegele. That means the Senators aren't left completely empty-handed after moving Chychrun, even if the overall return remains one that many fans will continue to debate.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:
Dube was signed for $850,000 for next season on a one-way contract, which means he gets paid that salary whether he's in the NHL or the American Hockey League. He played 58 games this past year for the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds after agreeing to a professional tryout in December with St. Louis' top minor league affiliate.
"We’ve gotten to know him a lot better through that time frame," said general manager Alexander Steen, who added the organization was well aware of the situation and spoke to coaches and teammates about how Dube was in Springfield.
“He wants to be a positive influence. He’s had a positive influence on (that team) or a positive impact,” he added. "He approaches it with a sincerity and humility. Since I got here in St. Louis, the organization has always been a second-chance organization and this is Dillon’s opportunity and we feel confident in giving it to him — to fight for a spot on our team next year.”
The 5-foot-11 winger who turns 28 on July 20 follows goaltender Carter Hart back into the league. Hart signed with Vegas in October and backstopped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to Carolina in six games.
The NHL in September reinstated Hart, Dube, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton, allowing them to play beginning Dec. 1. That came after a judge in London, Ontario, found them not guilty of sexual assault and McLeod additionally of a separate count of being a party to the offense.
McLeod in October signed a three-year contract to remain in the Russia-based KHL. Foote signed an AHL deal with the Chicago Wolves and played for them this past season. Formenton played in Switzerland.
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Kade Anderson #32 of the Arkansas Travelers sits in the dugout during a game against the Tulsa Drillers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan will be teammates once again. No, the Seattle Mariners have not yet called up there top two prospects still in the minor leagues. But during MLB’s All-Star Break, the MLB Futures Game will feature both young hurlers on the American League roster. The game will be held at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Sunday, July 12th and will be broadcast on NBC (and presumably Peacock).
The two current Double-A Arkansas Travelers will face off against the National League lineup headlined by Milwaukee Brewers SS Jesús Made, Colorado Rockies 1B/OF Charlie Condon, Washington Nationals SS Eli Willits, and Los Angeles Dodgers OF Josue De Paula. They’ll be backed up defensively by Sacramento Athletics top prospect, SS Leo De Vries, as well as Chicago White Sox INF Caleb Bonemer, and a pair of AL East infielders in Yankees SS George Lombard Jr. and Red Sox youngster SS Franklin Arias.
In the newly updated MLB Pipeline prospects rankings, Anderson and Sloan are the 5th and 8th overall prospects in the sport, with Anderson the top pitching prospect in baseball and Sloan only behind Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Seth Hernandez (6th). No other pitchers rank inside the top 20. There is a high likelihood that Anderson, as the top pitching prospect in the sport by the assessment of many, is tasked with starting the game. Both pitching in a home park that’s extremely pitcher-friendly but a league that is otherwise not, they’re putting up performances worthy of the hype.
The 21 year old Anderson has 99 strikeouts against just 10 walks and a hit by pitch in 66.2 innings. His 1.22/1.55/2.58 ERA/FIP/DRA is evidential of total domination (27/33/48 ERA-/FIP-/DRA-, for some Texas League-comparative stats), with his multi-pitch mix including a deceptive fastball that outperforms its velocity consistently and sets up a pair of plus breaking balls and a changeup which will hopefully soon be on display in T-Mobile Park.
Sloan is just 20, and while he physically cuts a distinct profile from Anderson, but his performance has been nearly as impressive. The home run bug has bitten Sloan at times, bumping his 4.11/3.67 ERA/FIP, but his 3.32 DRA (61 DRA-) and FIP- (79) highlight his 72 punchouts and just 12 walks (2 HBP) in 57.0 innings as augurs of excellence. Sloan does this while generating an above-average walk rate that makes him a potential high-efficiency ace down the line.
The Rangers signed forward Oliver Bjorkstrand in NHL free agency.
The Rangers bolstered their middle-six forward group.
Oliver Bjorkstrand signed a one-year deal worth $4.5 million with the Rangers on Wednesday, The Post has learned. As a result, the Blueshirts added a right wing who has surpassed 30 points in each of his last nine seasons to a forward pool in need of more consistent producers.
In a reduced role in Tampa Bay last season, Bjorkstrand posted 12 goals and 20 assists in 80 games. His 32 points were his lowest since the 2016-17 campaign, when he spent a majority of the season in the AHL.
The Rangers signed forward Oliver Bjorkstrand in NHL free agency. NHLI via Getty Images
The Rangers will be the fourth team Bjorkstrand has played for in his 11-year NHL career.
Over 704 games with the Blue Jackets, the Kraken and the Lightning, the 31-year-old has collected 184 goals and 232 assists while averaging 15:26 of ice time.
BOSTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli apologized for shouting “sit down, boy” at Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras while instigating a benches’ clearing scrum a night earlier.
“I’m extremely torn up about the way that things were perceived,” Cavalli said. “Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that.”
Cavalli shouted at Contreras after striking him out looking with a full-count pitch in the fourth inning of the Nationals’ 8-1 victory over the Red Sox.
The term “boy” has a racist history in the U.S. Contreras, who is Venezuelan, demurred when asked after the game if he felt there was a racial component to Cavalli’s word choice.
“My teammates know me, my family knows me, this organization knows me,” Cavalli said. “I couldn’t sleep because of it. It hurt my heart, knowing that, if there’s a 13-year-old Black kid in D.C. that sees that — that looked up to me and thinks that he perceived it in a way that wasn’t intended the way that it came out, and then he’s not looking up to me anymore — that hurts my heart.”
When asked, he said he understands the meaning behind the word used.
“There’s a history behind that word, and that’s just something that as a competitor, like in football or basketball, playing whiffle ball with my brother, you don’t understand it,” Cavalli said. “And then it gets perceived in a way that was not my intention, and then you learn from that. It’ll never happen again.”
The 27-year-old right-hander said he didn’t realize the public outcry on social media until he got back to his hotel room.
“I looked at my phone, and I saw what people were saying about me. Saw how torn up my wife was. It hurt my heart,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. I really couldn’t. Because I know that people know me, and they know my character, and that’s not me. So, it was hard. I truly didn’t sleep last night.”
Contreras was walking back to the dugout after striking out and yelled back at Cavalli: “Are you talking to me?” A few words were exchanged, and he charged the mound. He was stopped before he got to the pitcher. He tried to throw his helmet over a group of players at the righty.
Things settled down quickly after that, though the brief dustup ended with Contreras, Boston interim manager Chad Tracy, Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton and Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas being ejected.
Cavalli said he hadn’t apologized to Contreras yet, but he hopes he hears his explanation.
“I have not reached out to him. I know that we’re both competitors, I hope that he hears this and he understands that was not what was intended at all,” Cavalli said. “I think he knows that. But if I see him, I want to make sure that he knows that.”
Tonight’sMLB player propsslate is loaded with heavy hitters in strong matchups. Can guys like Yordan Alvarez or Jackson Chourio cash in and send one out of the yard for us tonight?
My besthome run propsfor Wednesday, July 1 certainly hope so.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Yordan Alvarez
+225
Jackson Chourio
+361
Esteury Ruiz
+589
💲Today's HR parlay
+10387
Home run pick: Yordan Alvarez (+225)
Let me live, people! Yes, it is, in fact, Yordan Alvarez once again.
This evening he draws Minnesota Twins right hander Taj Bradley, who we all know struggles against left handed hitters. Away from home this season, Bradley is allowing lefties to elevate the ball at a 68.8% clip while giving up a 40% hard hit rate.
Over his last 60 left handed hitters faced, those numbers climb to a 53.3% hard hit rate, a 21.1% barrel rate, and a 71.1% elevation rate. During that stretch, lefties have also posted a .690 xSLG and .372 xwOBA against him.
Against Bradley, Alvarez not only owns an elite rating on Batters-Box, but he also covers nearly 90% of Bradley's arsenal. When rated elite this season, Alvarez is leaving the yard 30% of the time.
He has done nothing but scorch baseballs over 105 mph all week, and yesterday one finally left the yard. He is due for more.
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SCHN, MNNT
Home run pick: Jackson Chourio (+361)
The Milwaukee Brewers’ young buck finds himself in a great spot against Cincinnati Reds left hander Andrew Abbott, who has struggled against right handed hitters this season. Over his last 90 batters faced, those hitters are generating a 43% hard hit rate and a 13% barrel rate.
During that stretch, Abbott owns a 5.59 xERA, while allowing a .354 xBA, .662 xSLG, and .379 xwOBA.
Jackson Chourio has been on a tear against southpaws. Over his last 60 plate appearances against left handers, he is posting a .345 batting average and .600 slugging percentage with a 1.000 OPS, while generating a 55% hard hit rate and a 12.5% barrel rate.
With all the loud contact Abbott has been giving up, I think the future of Milwaukee helps lead the way here.
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Home run pick: Esteury Ruiz (+589)
This is more of a fun one due to Esteury Ruiz having the fourth highest matchup rating on Batters-Box as he draws Colorado Rockies southpaw Kyle Freeland. Against Freeland, Ruiz only covers around 35% of his arsenal, which is not ideal. However, his expected numbers are far greater, covering over 50%.
Freeland has had zero ounces of fun against right-handed hitters this season. The last 30 he has faced are producing a 45.8% hard hit rate and a 25% barrel rate while elevating the baseball 70.8% of the time. During that stretch, those hitters own a .687 xSLG and a .455 xwOBA.
With the Miami Marlins coming off putting up two touchdowns, I am not expecting much, just for Ruiz to go YA YA.
Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV,Rockies.TV
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 65-237, +9.04 units
Today’s HR parlay
Yordan Alvarez
Bet Now +10387
Jackson Chourio
Esteury Ruiz
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The Colorado Avalanche continued strengthening their organizational depth Wednesday, signing forward Adam Beckman to a two-year, two-way contract after one of the most productive offensive seasons of his professional career.
According to reports from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman and AHL insider Tony Androckitis, Beckman's new deal carries an NHL salary of $850,000 in the first year and $900,000 in the second. The contract includes an AHL salary of $475,000 in both seasons with a $500,000 guaranteed salary each year.
Beckman arrives after spending the 2025-26 season in the New York Islanders organization, where he established himself as one of the American Hockey League's top goal scorers. Skating for the Bridgeport Islanders, the 24-year-old recorded 30 goals and 21 assists for 51 points in 68 games, leading the club in goals and showcasing the finishing ability that made him a highly regarded prospect earlier in his career.
While the bulk of his production came in the AHL, Beckman also appeared in 23 NHL games with the Islanders, adding to the 36 career NHL games he has played between New York and the Minnesota Wild.
Earlier in his professional career, Beckman also drew national attention after receiving a 10-game suspension from the American Hockey League during the 2024-25 season for making physical contact with an official in a game against the Charlotte Checkers. The league ruled the collision fell under physical abuse of an official without intent to injure.
Adam Beckman ➡️ Referee • #HFHits • Adam Beckman of the Bridgeport Islanders was suspended 10 games for abusing an official • 2025 APR 9 • Vid via: @FloHockeypic.twitter.com/gJEpQyAFWl
Originally selected by the Minnesota Wild in the third round (75th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Beckman has consistently produced offensively in the AHL throughout his professional career. His combination of scoring touch and NHL experience gives Colorado another intriguing option as the organization looks to strengthen its forward depth entering the 2026-27 season.
The signing could prove especially beneficial for the Colorado Eagles, where Beckman is expected to play a significant role if he doesn't crack the Avalanche's opening-night roster. After scoring 30 goals a season ago, he'll arrive as one of the Eagles' most accomplished offensive additions in recent years while also providing the Avalanche with another call-up option should injuries arise during the season.
For a Colorado organization that values internal competition and organizational depth, Beckman represents a low-risk addition with legitimate offensive upside. Now, he'll look to build on last season's breakout performance and turn it into sustained success.
Yordan Alvarez
Jackson Chourio
Esteury Ruiz