While David Bednar has performed well — and been excellent of late — in the closer role, the other late-game reliever the Yankees picked up a year ago still hasn’t found a role in which he’s had any success with the Yankees.
So far, the Yankees haven’t given up on the hard-throwing right-hander, as they have appeared to with Jake Bird, another bust of the 2025 deadline.
He’s fallen behind just about everyone in the bullpen, from high-leverage relievers like Bednar and Fernando Cruz to lefties Tim Hill and Brent Headrick, as well as Paul Blackburn and even Angel Chivilli, who has shown promise lately.
Camilo Doval reacts during the Yankees’ July 5 game. Imagn Images
After giving up 10 runs — four earned — in three appearances to start the month, the right-hander has tossed two scoreless outings, but still walked four in 2 ⅓ innings.
Aaron Boone, before Saturday’s game, said he wasn’t ready to write off Doval just yet.
“I’m hoping he works his way back into a significant role,’’ Boone said. “We cast off people all the time during a long major league season and the reality is, things change and they can change in a hurry sometimes.”
It’s been nearly a year, though, since Doval arrived from the Giants before last year’s deadline, where he was having a solid bounceback season after an ugly 2024.
But since arriving in The Bronx, Doval has seen his WHIP jump from 1.261 in four-plus seasons with the Giants to 1.473 as a Yankee.
Not only has he given up more base runners, he’s also allowed more homers and struck out fewer batters.
Camilo Doval throws a pitch during the Yankees’July 9 game against the Rays. AP Photo
He hasn’t gotten meaningful outs in a win in over a month.
Boone said Saturday the team had tried to get Doval in “positions where it’s the best chance to be successful and hope from there things snowball because there’s a lot of things to like there.”
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Other than throwing hard, Doval hasn’t come as advertised with the Yankees, who have seen other relievers emerge in his place.
But the fact Doval can hit triple digits and has the ability to strike people out continues to tantalize the Yankees — and perhaps it will persuade another team to buy low on him at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
As of now, though, it’s hard to imagine his stock being any lower.
“Guys as talented as Camilo, there are stories every year of guys flipping the script over the course of a year,’’ Boone said. “We hope to do that with Camilo.”
Aaron Judge has been sidelined with a rib stress fracture.
PHILADELPHIA — Aaron Judge continues to feel better in his recovery from a right rib fracture, just not good enough for significant progress.
Ten days after undergoing imaging on his right rib stress fracture that showed healing but not to the extent that allowed him to be cleared for baseball activities, the Yankees captain remains in a holding pattern while waiting on more healing.
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“I know the last couple days, in my conversations with him before I came on the trip, he felt quite a bit better and was encouraged with how he was feeling,” manager Aaron Boone said Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, before the Yankees defeated the Phillies 3-1. “I know he’s been rehabbing at home, I think he’s coming down here maybe [Sunday]. We’re just in that still letting-it-heal mode to the end.”
It has now been almost two months since Judge played in a game — May 31 — and the Yankees entered Saturday 22-22 without him.
The Yankees continue to say they expect him back at some point this season, but a timeline for that to actually happen is impossible to know until he is cleared for baseball activities — which won’t be done until another round of imaging shows more healing.
Aaron Judge has been sidelined with a rib stress fracture. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
In the meantime, the Yankees offense has been a shell of itself without the back-to-back AL MVP.
Since June 1 — the day after Judge played his last game — the Yankees’ four runs per game were the fifth lowest in the majors.
Their 89 wRC+ (weighted runs created, where 100 is league average) was the third-worst.
Their .680 OPS was the fourth-worst, their .223 batting average the second-worst and their .286 on-base percentage the worst.
Their 26 percent strikeout rate was also the worst, and their 7.7 percent walk rate the sixth-worst.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 25: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals celebrates on second base after hitting a two-run double in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park on July 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats needed to win this game in order to stay in the hunt, and that is exactly what they did. In their most important game in years, the Nats held their nerve and battled to a 5-3 win. It was not a perfect performance by any means, but they did enough to get a curly W, which is all that matters.
For the first couple innings, the Nats offense picked up where they left off last night. They looked listless against the soft tossing Mitch Bratt. That made the D-Backs two run third inning even more worrisome. Foster Griffin was shaky early on, having to escape some jams. He could not quite wiggle out of the third inning though. Griffin allowed a 2-run single to one of the games most underrated players in Gabriel Moreno.
However, as this team has done all season long, the Nats responded. They began to figure out Bratt as they faced him a second time. After a Curtis Mead walk and Andres Chaparro double, the boys were in business. CJ Abrams came up with yet another huge hit, doubling in the gap to tie the game.
Abrams made a bone-headed mistake afterwards though, immediately getting picked off. However, the Nats restarted the rally with a walk and a hit. That brought up Daylen Lile, who has not been great with runners in scoring position this season. This time the 23 year old came through, hitting a triple, something he has become famous for. That gave the Nats a 4-2 lead.
Daylen Lile is tripling again and it’s a lovely sight. Nats leading in a huge game today. pic.twitter.com/ckIfuaWIXg
It took a while for Lile to get his first triple, but once he did, they are starting to come in bunches again. He now has five triples on the season, after hitting 11 last year as a rookie. Lile has been somewhat disappointing this year, but he is still holding his own for the most part, and is still very young at 23. He has also made some massive leaps on the defensive side of the ball. I am still a big believer in Lile despite a bit of a sophomore slump.
One player who is not having a slump by any definition of the term is CJ Abrams. The Nats shortstop is having a career year, and is only picking things up in the second half. He went 3 for 4 today, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. His solo homer in the 5th made the game 5-2. The Nats did not score after that despite threatening. However, those five runs would be enough today.
Abrams is just having a monster year. He is hitting .293 with a .921 OPS to go along with 25 homers and a Major League leading 79 RBI’s. The speedy shortstop also has 17 steals to go along with that power production. Abrams has been the best offensive shortstop in baseball this season, and it is not particularly close. The Alien has been out of this world in 2026.
As we have discussed, the second half has been a bit of a bugaboo for Abrams the past couple years. However, he has come back from the All-Star Break firing on all cylinders. In his last six games, Abrams is 14 for 25 with 5 homers. You can do the math on the batting average, but all I know is that it is pretty good.
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) July 25, 2026
Besides Abrams, the biggest story of the game was the pitching. With trade rumors swirling around him and Abrams, Foster Griffin got the start today. This was not the sharpest we have seen Griffin, but he still went 6.2 innings, allowing three runs. If this is the last, or one of the last starts we see Foster Griffin make in a Nats uniform, all I can say is thank you Foster. He has been such a breath of fresh air and a joy to watch.
Griffin delivering a quality start was not much of a surprise. However, what followed him was a little surprising. Eddy Yean and Clayton Beeter were absolutely fantastic coming out of the bullpen. The duo went 2.1 innings without allowing a baserunner. They shut things down in a drama free manner, which is a pleasant sight for all Nats fans.
Yean in particular has been a revelation for this team. The hard throwing righty is starting to find his way into high leverage spots for the Nats. His power sinker and confident demeanor seem like a fit in the back of the bullpen. It does not take much to rise up the trust tree of Nats relievers, but right now Yean might be on the top of that list.
He is not scared to pound the zone with his power stuff and attack hitters. It is easier for a guy with his velocity to attack guys without fearing the consequences. Yean just has more margin for error, and he knows it. This is just a guy pitching with a ton of confidence.
This was a must win game, and the boys rose to the occasion. There were still some missed opportunities on the offensive side of the ball, but they did enough. Tomorrow, they will close out this series against the D-Backs with a huge rubber match. They will face another rookie lefty in Kohl Drake, so hopefully they can take advantage of that. With the deadline looming, every game is amplified, especially against a direct Wild Card contender like the D-Backs.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani grounds out in the third inning against the New York Mets on Friday. Ohtani continues to play at designated hitter for the Dodgers, but it's unclear when he might pitch again. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani’s throwing program has stalled, with the Dodgers star canceling a bullpen session the team had tentatively scheduled for Saturday.
“Just doesn’t feel 100%,” manager Dave Roberts said of Ohtani’s left knee. “And because I think that the last ‘pen that he had, there was a little bit of regression. So we want to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.”
It was going to be Ohtani’s second bullpen since receiving an orthovisc injection in his knee on July 12. He threw a roughly 30-pitch side session on Wednesday.
It’s unclear when he’ll throw off the mound next. But Roberts said he’s still optimistic that Ohtani will return to the rotation sometime in August.
“It was obviously not ideal, him throwing his last bullpen and going backwards, essentially,” Roberts said. “So obviously that’s disappointing because you throw a bullpen to continue to build up. So that was disappointing. But as far as worry, concern, we don’t have any of that.”
Roberts described a “fluid” process, with plenty of input from Ohtani, as he and Dodgers continue to navigate the knee issue. Because only pitching seems to be aggravating the injury, Ohtani will continue to play at designated hitter.
“From his words, the hitting, the running, as he has done the last couple nights, doesn’t affect him,” Roberts said. “So I can only go by what he and the training staff are telling me. So, unless I hear otherwise, that hitting compromises his health, then I’m going to keep putting him in the lineup.”
The Dodgers had initially hoped the injection and time off leading up to the All-Star break would allow him to get past the discomfort in his knee and not have to worry about managing it for the rest of the season.
Though Ohtani feels better than he did before the break, according to Roberts, the team wasn’t envisioning this kind of start-and-stop buildup.
The schedule does the Dodgers some favors. The off day Monday allows them to get through this coming week without filling Ohtani’s spot in the rotation. But in order to keep all their starters on a six- to seven-day rotation, they’ll have to find a replacement — whether that be a bullpen day or another starter — by the first week of August.
Starting pitcher Blake Snell (arthroscopic elbow surgery) is on track to be close to a return from the injured list by then. In his second rehab start this month, he threw 2⅔ innings (49 pitches) for triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday.
He’ll be targeting four innings in his next start, according to Roberts. When asked if he’d need another rehab outing after that, Roberts said: “Let’s just get through that next one. Get through four innings and kind of read and react from there.”
Injury updates
Dodgers teammates Kiké Hernández, left, and Shohei Ohtani laugh after a win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on May 29. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers are set to welcome back utility player Kiké Hernández (strained left oblique) and closer Edwin Díaz (arthroscopic elbow surgery) from the injured list early in next week’s homestand.
Hernández is set to be activated Tuesday, as the Dodgers open a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners, Roberts said. And Díaz likely will return Wednesday, sliding back into the closer role that Tanner Scott has held in his absence.
Tyler Glasnow (back spasms) threw about 25 pitches in a one-inning live batting practice session Friday, Roberts said. He’s scheduled to throw to batters again next week.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob wants to prove the organization can remain successful once Curry is no longer leading the franchise, according to longtime Bay Area reporter Tim Kawakami.
Joe Lacob reportedly wants to build beyond Stephen Curry, raising questions about whether the Warriors are still all-in on another title. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“What Lacob wants to do, and this might get Warriors fans mad, but he wants to build the next team after Steph Curry,” Kawakami said on The TK Show. “I don’t know how possible that is, but Lacob has a very keen interest in ‘This organization is going to show what it can do with Steph Curry and then after Steph Curry.’ I don’t think it’s going to be as good myself, but that’s what he wants to do.”
That ambition is understandable for an owner responsible for the franchise’s long-term health. It may be harder for fans to accept while Curry remains capable of chasing a fifth championship.
Golden State Valkyries and Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob claps during the third quarter against the Washington Mystics IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Golden State previously attempted a two-timeline plan built around Curry, Green and Klay Thompson while developing James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Wiseman became one of the most costly draft misses in franchise history, while Kuminga was eventually traded without becoming the foundational star the organization envisioned.
The Warriors still control most of their future first-round picks, giving them enough assets to pursue another established player. But holding those selections also protects Lacob’s effort to construct a post-Curry roster.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors brings the ball up court during the first half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers Getty Images
That creates an uncomfortable question: Is Golden State doing everything possible to win now, or is it already limiting its spending power and trade flexibility to prepare for the future?
Curry is expected to sign a two-year extension that could keep him with the only franchise he has ever played for through the end of his career. He will enter next season at 38, while Green and Jimmy Butler are also nearing the final stages of their careers.
Lacob may eventually get his chance to prove the Warriors can win without Curry.
Warriors fans would probably prefer he wait until Curry is finished before making that the priority.
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Jul 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease (84) pitches during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 6 Red Sox 0
Dylan Cease went nine complete, giving up just one hit (with three walks and twelve strikeouts). He was just amazing, even with Dan telling us he wasn’t throwing as hard as usual.
And the offense did the job.
We got:
Five in the third: With two out….Nathan Lukes doubled. Vlad singled him home. Kazuma Okamoto singled. And George Springer hit a home run (making up for a base running error the inning before. Springer was on second, Yohendrick Piñango lined a soft one to center, Springer, apparently, thought it would land, but Ceddanne Rafaela made the catch coming in and doubled up Springer. It wasn’t that tough of a catch).
One in the ninth: Andrés Giménez led off with a single. An out later Lukes doubled. Then Vlad singled home one. Lucky for Vlad, it was deflected by the pitcher, or it would have been an easy out.
We had 15 hits, 14 more than the Red Sox.
Vlad and Ernie had three hits each. Lukes, Springer, Varsho, and Giménez had two each. Brandon Valenzuela and Piñango/Myles Straw (sharing is caring) had 0 fors.
Jays of the Day: Cease (0.27) and Springer (0.26) Honourable Mention to Vlad.
Other Award: Lips (-0.10).
Tomorrow is a 1:30 start time. It is great to start every game at a different time. Kevin Gausman (4-9, 4.91) will try to make up for last start. Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.15) starts for the bad guys.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 22: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats against the Philadelphia Phillies during the game at Citizens Bank Park on July 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers try for their fifth win in as many tries against the Mets this season, with ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound in Queens.
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 19: Hunter Greene #21 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante has made 80 starts across his five-season career as he’s worked both out of the bullpean and in the rotation. This will mark his 11th start against the Cincinnati Reds, which is the most he’s made against any club in his career. He’s also faced Reds hitters in 286 career PA, which is the most he’s faced against any club in the game.
He’s been good against the Reds, too. Cincinnati hitters have hit just .238/.331/.335 off him, and he’s pitched to a 2.41 ERA in 67.1 overall IP against them. So, the Reds better have something new up their sleeve when they face the righty in Busch Stadium on Saturday evening.
For the Reds, though, it comes down equally to Hunter Greene, who’ll get his fourth start of the year after sitting out three months following elbow surgery. His most recent two outings have been rather stellar, and to his credit he’s held Cardinals hitters to just a .641 OPS in 206 PA against them in his career (with a 3.23 ERA in 47.1 IP).
First pitch is once again set for 7:15 PM ET. Spencer Steer is out of the lineup to begin this one, while Ke’Bryan Hayes is starting at 3B.
Draymond Green created financial flexibility for the Warriors to chase LeBron James. Now that James is headed to Philadelphia, Green must decide whether Golden State still represents his best option.
NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor laid out the dilemma after James agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers.
“Draymond Green has a big decision to make next,” O’Connor wrote on X.
Kevin O’Connor says Draymond Green faces a major choice: stay loyal to Stephen Curry or test the market after the Warriors’ LeBron miss. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Green can return to Golden State, collect another substantial salary and remain beside Stephen Curry. He would also be rejoining an organization that reportedly explored trading him only five months ago and could revisit that possibility as Curry’s championship window narrows.
The alternative would be testing a market that may offer less money but greater control over where he finishes his career.
O’Connor floated several possibilities, including following James to Philadelphia on a minimum contract or becoming part of a sign-and-trade. Green’s defense, passing and postseason experience would still appeal to contenders despite his age and limited scoring.
The most likely outcome, however, remains a Warriors reunion.
The Athletic reported that Golden State is expected to re-sign Green for nearly $28 million, roughly matching the player option he declined. Green reportedly opted out at the last minute to maximize the Warriors’ flexibility in their pursuit of James and a possible Anthony Davis trade.
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Kevin O’Connor says Draymond Green faces a major choice: stay loyal to Stephen Curry or test the market after the Warriors’ LeBron miss.
Neither move happened.
Returning would allow Green to continue a partnership with Curry that has produced four championships. He has spent his entire career with Golden State and remains the team’s defensive organizer and emotional center.
But loyalty now comes with uncertainty.
The Warriors have already demonstrated that sentiment will not prevent them from discussing a Green trade if they believe it improves the roster. After missing on James, they may again explore major moves involving Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant or other available stars.
Green is expected to stay, but O’Connor’s question remains relevant: Does he take the money and continue beside Curry, knowing he could be moved later, or choose his next team before the Warriors choose it for him?
The next steps for Ohtani remain uncertain for the foreseeable future and the Dodgers haven't provided a timetable for his return.
The two-way star was pulled from his scheduled start before the MLB All-Star break due to inflammation and irritation in his left knee.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Saturday that there was some “regression” with Ohtani’s knee following his bullpen session on Wednesday, July 22, in Philadelphia.
Roberts told reporters on Friday, July 24 that he feels that a return to the mound wouldn’t happen next week.
"Every player wants to get back out there and do what they do. But I think he understands it's not about July, it's about October," Roberts said. "So, we've already taken a lot of time to get him back to full health, so we're not going to start earlier than we need to."
Ohtani had initially been scheduled to start on Wednesday, but the organization decided against it to instead throw a bullpen session.
There’s an expectation that the Dodgers will be cautious with the superstar’s workload throughout the second half of the season. Roberts has also stated that Ohtani is not expected to throw 100 pitches whenever he does make his return to the mound.
Ohtani had lubricant injected into his knee but did not have it drained. The injection was intended to provide the four-time All-Star with relief in his knee.
Even during his time away from the mound, Ohtani is still expected to play as a designated hitter.
Jun 27, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) throws against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
It’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds Saturday night. The Cardinals will hand the ball to Andre Pallante while the Reds will have Hunter Greene to make the start. First pitch is set for 6:15pm central time and the TV broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
The Senators and Leafs entered the offseason from very different places.
The Sens are coming off a 99-point season, ninth overall in the NHL, and a second straight playoff appearance. After it was over, they had an unexpected problem drop in their lap when captain Brady Tkachuk requested a trade.
Toronto, meanwhile, went from first to worst in the Atlantic with 78 points, won the draft lottery, replaced their head coach and GM, and went to work on a major roster overhaul.
Drake Batherson says it would be nice to get an extension done with the Sens this summer and hopes it happens.
The summer is far from over, but most of the heavy lifting has probably been done. So, which team had the better offseason, and more importantly, which one looks better heading into 2026-27?
Senators Trades
The Senators' offseason plans spun off the road in early May when Tkachuk officially decided he wanted to play with his brother, asked for a trade, and was eventually got one.
Ottawa received Florida's ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-round pick and a conditional 2029 first-rounder.
GM Steve Staios quickly flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for forwards William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.
Eklund is the key piece, the proven NHL commodity. He had 53 points last season and gives the Sens a young, established top-six winger who can help replace Tkachuk's offence. The additional hope is that the 23-year-old Eklund still hasn't hit his ceiling.
The Senators also acquired winger Andre Burakovsky from Chicago for a 2027 sixth-round pick and RFA goalie Samuel Ersson from Toronto for a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Senators Free Agent Signings
Ottawa's free-agent activity was much quieter as they basically took care of their own. Senators re-signed Ersson, veteran forwards Claude Giroux and Nick Cousins, defenseman Jordan Spence, and goalie Leevi Merilainen.
They also signed some depth free agents to two-way contracts: forwards Sammy Blais, Ryan Suzuki, Philip Tomasino, Philippe Daoust and defenseman Christian Kyrou.
Senators Free Agent Losses
The Sens turned the page on Lars Eller, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert, Lassi Thomson, Arthur Kaliyev, Olle Lycksell, James Reimer, and Mads Sogaard, allowing all of them to walk into free agency.
The obvious question is whether Eklund and Burakovsky can make up enough of the offence lost with Tkachuk.
That said, when you factor in the intangibles like team chemistry, or how Tkachuk's vibe noticeably changed after last year's 4 Nations Face-off, it's more than fair to suggest his exit isn't all bad for the Sens.
Extreme Makeover: Toronto Edition
If the Sens' summer was about reacting to the Tkachuk Show leaving town, Toronto's offseason program might be labelled Extreme Makeover. The Leafs parted ways with head coach Craig Berube and GM Brad Treliving.
New general manager John Chayka, in the role of Ty Pennington, came in with major renovations after the Leafs' dismal 78-point season, starting with the hiring of Jim Hiller as his new head coach.
Leafs Trades: Additions
Praying to all the hockey gods that he's not a one-hit wonder, the Leafs acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh from Tampa Bay and signed him to an eight-year extension worth $8.5 million. In just his third full NHL season, the 30-year-old Raddysh erupted for 22 goals and 70 points last season. His previous best was 6 goals and 37 points.
Toronto then went back to Tampa for former Senator Nick Paul. They also acquired RFA defenseman Emil Andrae and RFA goalie Sam Ersson from Philadelphia. Ersson's rights were then flipped to Ottawa for almost nothing.
Leafs Trades: Substractions
The Leafs didn't make all those changes without saying goodbye to some talent in those deals: Along with Ersson, goalies Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby are also gone. So are defencemen Brandon Carlo and Simon Benoit, along with forward Nick Robertson.
First Overall Pick
Toronto's most intriguing addition didn't come through trade at all. After winning the draft lottery, the Leafs selected Gavin McKenna first overall. McKenna has the elite puck skills to be a superstar but it remains to be seen if he can reach that status right away.
Leafs Free Agent Signings
Toronto's biggest free-agent signing was goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who signed a three-year contract after seven seasons with Florida. Bobrovsky has been an elite goalie for years, but posted an unimpressive .877 save percentage last year. Was that because the Panthers were a bad team, ravaged by injury, or because age is setting in? Bob will turn 38 in September.
Toronto also signed Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, and Zack MacEwen.
Leafs Free Agent Losses
The Leafs turned the page on Matias Maccelli and Calle Jarnkrok.
That's a lot of turnover. Toronto is betting heavily that an aging Bobrovsky won't repeat last year's performance and that Raddysh will.
And Then There's Alfie
This Battle of Ontario comparison has another layer that has nothing to do with the rosters.
Daniel Alfredsson left the Sens' coaching staff after three seasons and joined Toronto as an associate coach. Seeing him join the Leafs is beyond strange.
Verdict 1: Who had the better offseason?
Toronto, in a landslide.
The Sens did their best to recover from a situation they didn't create. Turning part of the Tkachuk return into William Eklund was solid and helped shore up the Sens future with picks and prospects that everyone agreed they needed.
For the second straight year, the club is maybe being a little cavalier with their backup goaltender situation. Linus Ullmark obviously needs a platoon situation in the regular season and the Sens are betting big that the newcomer, Ersson, a $2.2 million goalie, can be that co-number one for them.
Toronto, meanwhile, aggressively addressed several areas of its roster. Bobrovsky, Raddysh, Paul and Roslovic are significant NHL additions, while McKenna will probably become the most important player acquired by either team this summer.
Verdict 2: Who will be the better team this season?
Ottawa.
The Leafs will surely narrow the gap, but the Senators finished 21 points ahead of them last season, and that's a lot of ground to make up in one year.
Ottawa still has a core built around Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, Dylan Cozens, and Thomas Chabot, and has now added Eklund to that group. Unlike teams of the rebuild, the core is not only better, more experienced, and battled-tested, they're now well-insulated with higher-quality veterans.
The Leafs may have improved more this summer, but they still have to show that all those new pieces can completely transform the fifth-worst team in hockey. If they can't, the Buds may find themselves with a restless captain of their own next summer.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below.
Austin Wells reacts after striking out during the Yankees' July 17 game.
PHILADELPHIA — It’s too late at this point for Austin Wells to do anything to keep the Yankees from looking to add a catcher before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
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Wells is having another rough season at the plate, and the organization knows it needs an upgrade at the position.
He insisted Saturday that the situation isn’t weighing on him as the deadline approaches.
“It’s not because I can’t control anything that happens there,’’ Wells said before homering for the third time in nine games in a 3-1 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. “All I can do is go play and try to win. I feel that being behind the plate for our staff and the guys is giving us the best chance to win. I tell myself that. I can’t control anything other than that.”
His success at becoming a solid defensive catcher has continued to surprise scouts who saw him in college and in the minors.
Austin Wells reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ July 17 game. Imagn Images
But Wells’ lack of production at the plate has bewildered them even more.
“He doesn’t look like the same guy,” one American League scout said.
It’s why, as The Post’s Joel Sherman has reported, the Yankees continue to be interested in Minnesota catcher Ryan Jeffers.
For now, though, Wells is splitting time with Ali Sánchez and getting some results.
The home run, which came off right-hander Brian Keller with two outs in the third inning, was his seventh of the year.
Wells entered Saturday having reached base in four straight plate appearances, then homered and walked.
After his OPS dropped to an MLB-worst .468 on July 8, the lefty hitter has been better.
In his previous eight games entering Saturday, he was 6-for-21 with a pair of homers, four walks and four strikeouts.
Austin Wells hits a single during a Yankees game July 22. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
“It feels good to contribute on both sides of the ball,’’ the catcher said.
That’s after he recovered from the cervical headaches that landed him on the IL earlier in the year.
“I feel like I’m seeing the ball better, honestly,’’ Wells said of the recent uptick. “I’m just generally seeing the baseball better.”
He’s still not sure if that’s a result of being healthy.
“It could be,’’ Wells said. “I’ve been feeling much better.”
Wells also credited the hockey-style mask he’s worn since returning.
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“I’m still doing better every day,’’ the catcher said. “I never dealt with something like this before and there’s not a lot of research on this kind of [injury].”
He’s hoping he’s turned a corner at the plate.
Even with that improvement, Wells entered Saturday with the worst batting average (.163) of any player in the majors with 220 plate appearances this season.
His .262 on-base percentage and .524 OPS are also the second worst of the 241 hitters with that many plate appearances.
“Obviously, we expect a lot more of him offensively, but he knows he can hit,” Aaron Boone said. “He knows he’s a better hitter than he’s shown this year. It’s tough to deal with, but he’s also mature enough and advanced enough in his career that he understands the importance of being behind the plate every single day and the role of limiting runs and helping the pitching staff. He’s done a really good job of separating it.”
“That’s my No. 1 job: being able to lock in on defense and focus to have great games with our pitchers,’’ Wells said. “That takes a lot of the weight of the results off the hitting side away, but I know I can hit better than I’ve shown.”
TONIGHT’S GAME: Tonight, the Astros and White Sox play the 2nd game of this 3-game series at Rate Field in Chicago…RHP Hunter Brown (1-1) starts for the Astros as he takes on White Sox RHP Sean Burke (7-4).
ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the 2nd game of a 6-game road trip for the Astros, during which they are scheduled to play 3-game sets vs. the Chica- go White Sox (Fri.-Sun.) and Los Angeles Angels
(Mon.-Wed.)…the Astros are 18-12 (.600) on their last five road trips combined and are 24-18 (.571) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season.
ROAD SLUGGING: The Astros are T-1st in the AL in road HR (73) while ranking 2nd in road OPS (.746) and road SLG (.421) and 3rd in road runs scored (252).
BROTHER BROWN: RHP Hunter Brown will make his 9th start of the season and his 7th since return- ing from a lengthy stint on the IL with a right shoulder strain…Last Start: Took the loss on 7/19 vs. BAL (4.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 BB, 4 SO.
FOUR-FOR-FOUR: Brown is 4-0 in his 4 career starts vs. the White Sox with a 2.92 ERA (8ER/24.2IP) with 29 K’s…Top Rate: He is 3-0 in 3 career starts at Rate Field with a 3.57 ERA (7ER/17.2IP) with 23 K’s…his last start vs. the White Sox was an 8-3 win on May 3 at Rate Field (6 IP, 3 ER, 9 SO)…Last Season: Finished 3rd in the AL Cy Young voting after posting a 12-9 record with a 2.43 ERA and 206 strikeouts.
VS. THE CHISOX: The Astros are facing the White Sox for the 1st time in 2026…they were 3-3 vs. CWS last season, going 2-1 at home and 1-2 here in Chicago…the Astros are 21-13 (.618) vs. CWS over the past 6 seasons (2021-26), posting winning records in each of the past 5 seasons…HOU is 54-46 all- time vs. CWS…the Astros are now 4-0 in Chicago in 2026 (swept the Cubs at Wrigley, May 22-24).
ROSTER MOVE: The Astros have recalled LHP Bryan King from Triple A Sugar Land and have placed RHP Spencer Arrighetti on the 15-day Injured List due to right foot nerve irritation…King will join the Astros today in Chicago.
TODAY’S AVAILABILITIES: The Astros clubhouse will be open to approved media at Rate Field from 3:15-4:05 p.m. CT…Astros Manager Joe Espada will be made available in the Astros dugout at approx. 4:05 p.m.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, July 25, 6:10 p.m. CT
Location: Rate Field, Chicago, IL
TV: SCHN
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Do the White Sox … have an ace? | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
We’re just going to pretend like that one never happened, right? The Sox held the Astros scoreless in seven of the nine innings they played yesterday, and allowed just one in one of the others. We can leave it at that, I think.
At the very least, the Sox have the advantage of sending their hottest starter to the hill to make a fourth straight series win still salvageable, as Sean Burke looks to continue his stretch of looking like one of the best pitchers in baseball, bar none. His 1.40 ERA since June 18th is a top-six mark in the majors, with well-more than a strikeout per inning to boot. He has been the beneficiary of an abnormally-low BABIP and abnormally-high left-on-base percentage, which means there’s been some sequencing luck involved in his success.
That being said, there’s also this, which you can’t attribute to batted-ball luck in the slightest:
There’s also this fun little nugget I came across: Burke has hit 98 mph 16 times since June 18 alone, and his six fastest pitches of the year have all resulted in strikeouts. When he’s got a hitter in the hole and needs some extra oomph, Burke is pretty dang good at reaching back to get it.
Only once since Covid-19 have the Sox had a pitcher reach 180 innings, much less 200, which was last accomplished by James Shields in 2018. Burke and Davis Martin are both on pace to challenge the 180 threshold, and we’ll see tonight whether Burke can maintain his six-plus innings per start pace of the last month and change.
Unfortunately, the Astros are also throwing their best tonight. Hunter Brown finished third in Cy Young balloting last year but hasn’t quite looked himself since returning from injury in mid-June, and he’s got a pedestrian 4.08 ERA heading into this one. He also seems to have lost a handle on his control as of late, walking 15 against 11 strikeouts over 14 2/3 innings in his last three starts. The Sox are one of the more patient teams in the league, so this does have the potential to be an explosive one for their offense. Nonetheless, Brown’s fastball/curveball combination remains relatively intact, so this one could swing on Chicago’s ability to not swing at pitcher’s pitches and make Brown beat them with his less-dangerous slider and changeup.
Here’s the lineup that Will Venable hopes can break out of the South Siders’ second-half semi-power outage. It’s pretty much the best they got, until the hot stove starts burning:
Meanwhile, Joe Espada pushes back with the following:
If the Sox can stop Yordan Alvarez from beating them like they did yesterday (1-for-4 with a walk and two runs, so it’s all relative, but nonetheless!), I’m willing to take my chances that they won’t let Jeremy Peña, José Altuve and LaMonte Wade Jr. beat them on their own again. Whether it matters will be in the hands of Sox hitters.
First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. CT from Rate Field in Armour Square, with standard broadcasts on CHSN (TV) and ESPN 1000 AM (radio). We’ll see you there!
