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Orioles news: O’s offense has gone missing

ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 07: Pete Alonso #25 of the the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Friday, August 7, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tenley Wright/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good morning Birdland,

Well, it was yet another putrid night for the Orioles offense. They have scored one run or fewer in four of their last six games. Their record in those four games? 0-4. Tough to chase down a wild card spot with a lineup that disappears far too often,

The problem wasn’t even getting runners on base. They had seven hits, three walks, and five at-bats with runners in scoring position. But they wasted almost all of those chances. Pete Alonso struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth, and Leody Taveras was punched out in the sixth with two runners on base.

Christian Franklin came up clutch with a ninth-inning double into the right field corner that nearly scored Taveras from first base. But the Rangers executed a perfect relay to apparently nab him at the plate. It was close, and O’s manager Craig Albernaz challenged, but (despite some evidence to the contrary) the called was upheld anyway.

It’s a shame because the Orioles got a really good Shane Baz start in the loss. He was the only pitcher that Albernaz used. He tossed all eight innings, allowed the two runs on three hits, a walk, and nine strikeouts. Both runs he gave up came on a Joc Pederson homer in the sixth.

Baz’s season ERA is down to 3.76. He has gotten better as the season has worn on. Back on May 15, he had a 5.26 ERA and 4.37 FIP. Since then, he has made 14 starts and thrown 85 innings. In that time he has a 2.86 ERA and 2.75 FIP. Maybe the Orioles did land a frontline arm this offseason after all.

The silver lining to all of this is also a bit scary. The Orioles have ground to make up in the standings, and they will exclusively play teams ahead of them in the AL over the next two weeks. If you want to play with the big boys you need to beat ‘em first.

Kyle Bradish (7-10, 3.79 ERA) will face off with Jacob deGrom (7-7, 3.96 ERA) later today, hopefully reversing the Orioles latest fortunes. Be advised that the game is being broadcast on FOX.

Links

The narrative of the Orioles’ rebuild changed with the trade deadline. It didn’t have to. | The Baltimore Banner
Eh, it wasn’t the trade deadline that changed the narrative. It was the last two-and-a-half seasons that did that. There are still a lot of positive structural changes that have occurred within the organization, but there are also obvious failings too. Changes are needed. Getting rid of Adley Rutschman isn’t the last shakeup that is likely to come.

Alexander pain free as he plays catch for 1st time since fracturing hand | Orioles.com
This is good news! Blaze Alexander is still a ways off from playing, but maybe he gets back for a few weeks to wrap up the regular season. Allowing him to have a full, healthy offseason would be nice to see.

Kjerstad: “Right now I know there’s going to be an opportunity down the road” | Roch Kubatko
At this moment, Heston Kjerstad probably isn’t what the Orioles need on their roster, and it’s not as if Kjerstad is some mystery anyway. Maybe he gets back to Baltimore in September. If not, he probably deserves a chance to figure it out in another organization.

Orioles’ No. 3 prospect continues to climb the K charts in the Minors | MLB.com
Joseph Dzierwa may be the single biggest success story of the Orioles minor league system this year. The 2025 second-round pick has dominated at both High-A Frederick and Double-A Chesapeake this season. It’s possible that he could get to Baltimore sometime next season if he continues to ascend.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

  • Eddy Rodríguez turns 45 today. He pitched in 38 games for the Orioles between the 2004 and ‘06 seasons.
  • The late Johnny Temple (b. 1927, d. 1994) was born on this day. Known best for his years in Cincinnati, Temple spent half of the 1962 season on the Orioles infield.
  • A posthumous celebration for Marlin Stuart (b. 1918, d. 1994), who was a pitcher that came wth the organization on its move from St. Louis to Baltimore in 1954.

This day in O’s history

This has been a rather slow day in Orioles history, according to Baseball Reference. So, instead here are a few happenings from beyond Birdland:

1969 – Photographer Iain Macmillan takes an iconic photo of the Beatles at a zebra crossing in London. The image would become the cover of the band’s album Abbey Road.

1988 – The first night baseball game in the history of Chicago’s Wrigley field takes place, but is rained out in the fourth inning.

1991 – The Warsaw radio mast, then the tallest structure ever built, collapses.

2004 – The Dave Matthews Band’s tour bus dumps approximately 800 pounds of human waste onto a boat full of passengers in the Chicago River.

2007 – The most powerful tornado in New York to date and first in Brooklyn at all since 1889 touches down in Kings County and Richmond County, NY.

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Cubs 6, Royals 4: Welcome to the North Siders, Kevin Gausman

The Cubs made a flurry of deals before Monday’s Trade Deadline, and one of Jed Hoyer’s primary aims was to add quality starting pitching to the team.

And in acquiring Kevin Gausman, he appears to have done so. Gausman was as advertised (after a bit of a shaky first inning), throwing seven strong innings and allowing two runs, helping lead the Cubs to a 6-4 win over the Royals, their fifth straight victory.

That first inning for the Cubs’ new right-hander included a walk and then a single by Salvador Perez that went off Gausman’s foot for a hit. A double by Isaac Collins scored a run to give KC a 1-0 lead.

Gausman stayed in the game and after that was nails, including four strikeouts and inducing weak contact on his excellent splitter.

The Cubs then put together a four-run rally in the second that began with two out and no one on base. Carson Kelly and Pedro Ramirez singled and Dansby Swanson walked to load the bases. Pete Crow-Armstrong then singled and two runs scored [VIDEO].

Only one RBI was credited to PCA as the throwing error scored the second run. Swanson stopped at third. PCA then stole second, his 30th, putting two runners in scoring position for Seiya Suzuki, whose hit scored both to make it 4-1 [VIDEO].

After that Gausman was just nails. He did serve up a home run ball to Carter Jensen in the sixth that made it 4-2, but otherwise wound up retiring 19 of the last 21 Royals he faced.

The Cubs got Gausman an additional run in the top of the seventh. PCA led off with a walk and one out later, moved to second on a wild pitch.

Alex Bregman’s single scored PCA to make it 5-2 [VIDEO].

The Cubs added one more in the eighth on Pedro Ramirez’s second home run of the year [VIDEO].

Caleb Thielbar then entered the game for the bottom of the eighth and had another rough outing. He allowed three hits and two runs and Trent Thornton had to come in to keep the score at 6-4.

Jacob Webb, who’s been just outstanding since being nominally made the Cubs’ closer, retired the Royals in order in the ninth for save number 7. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].

But the story of the day was Gausman. He struck out four [VIDEO].

Here’s more on Gausman’s outing, in which he threw mostly splitters [VIDEO].

It’s been a while since a pitcher joined the Cubs and went this long in his debut for the team:

Here are some postgame comments from the new Cubs right-hander [VIDEO].

And here are Craig Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].

The Twins beat the Brewers Friday (thanks Twins!), so the Cubs picked up a game in the NL Central standings. More from BCB’s JohnW53:

With their win and the Brewers’ loss to the Twins, the Cubs are 4.5 games out of first place. They had not been fewer than five games back since May 30, when they trailed by four games following a 6-1 win at St. Louis. They have played 58 games since then, going 36-22. Their biggest deficit was eight games, the last time on June 17, when they were 39-36 after an 8-6 win at home over the Rockies.
……..
Friday night’s win was the Cubs’ fifth in a row. They also won five straight June 27-July 1: two games at Milwaukee, then three at home vs. the Padres. Those are the Cubs’ only streaks of more than four wins except their pair of 10-game streaks, April 14-24 and April 29-May 8.
…..
The Cubs have erased deficits in each of the five consecutive wins. They have erased 51 different deficits in 48 different games. They are 35-13 in those games and have won eight straight, 10 of 12 and 20 of 22 starting June 11, the day they began their 34-15 surge.

The Cubs will go for the series win Saturday evening in Kansas City, and also their sixth win in a row. Clay Holmes is scheduled to make his Cubs debut and Seth Lugo will go for the Royals. Game time is 6:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.

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Japan 32-35 Australia: rugby union international – as it happened

  • Wallabies win first match under new coach Les Kiss

  • Amatosero red carded in the first half

“Deep care,” is the message from Les Kiss ahead of his first match in charge of Australia. He wants his team to care about every second, on and off the pitch, when they’re on national team duty.

The 2026 Test calendar is a patchwork quilt of matches scattered around the world as the the All Blacks and Springboks flex their financial muscles and teams begin preparations for next year’s World Cup.

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Jalen Green could be the key to a more dynamic Suns offense

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after a three-point shot against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 111-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

How will the Suns’ offense function next season? Will it become predictable again, like it did last year? The Suns weren’t exactly running a complex offense down the stretch, and far too many possessions ended with a three-point attempt.

From February 1 on, Phoenix went 15–18. And during that span, 46.9% of its shots came from beyond the arc. That ranked sixth in the league. They were also third in the NBA in the percentage of their total points that came from three-point range at 41.5%. That’s something the Suns have to change next season because, quite simply, it didn’t work. They need more ways to generate offense. Having players who can get downhill, attack the rim, and create pressure inside is something this team desperately needs.

Suns’ CEO Josh Bartelstein was on with Burns and Gambo earlier this week, and he said that “The league right now has evolved so much. Where the league was three or four years ago, where shooting was in high demand…of course you wanna have shooters…if you watch what’s happening now, it’s guys who can get downhill. Get two feet in the paint. It’s guys who can guard multiple positions. It’s athletic specimens who can meet you at the rim and block your shot. You got to be able to attack and play off closeouts and spray the ball around.”

The conversation centered on the acquisition of Miles Bridges and how he could ultimately affect the offense. That naturally leads to another interesting question: Who will be the second-leading scorer on this team next season, assuming Devin Booker remains the top dog? Because if he isn’t, the Suns are going to have a multitude of other problems.

The majority of the community believes Jalen Green will fill that role. In our most recent Suns Reacts survey, 61% of voters picked Green to finish second on the team in scoring. Miles Bridges came in second at 22%.

I agree with the consensus that Jalen Green will be the second leading scorer for Phoenix next season. His talent, combined with his athleticism, should create plenty of opportunities for him to fill that role. Whether he can step into it, embrace it, and execute consistently will be one of the defining storylines of the season.

I can also see a world where Miles Bridges benefits tremendously from Devin Booker’s presence and the gravity he creates, as well as from what Jalen Green can do athletically. One thing Bridges does better when attacking the basket is passing, and that is an area where Green still has room to grow. Green can get blinders when he sees the rim. When he attacks with the kind of ferocity he possesses, finishing becomes the only objective. The more cerebral approach is understanding that defenses know what he wants to do. When they collapse, opportunities open up elsewhere.

In the same breath, that could also be part of what helps Green become the second leading scorer. Bridges showed in Charlotte that he can be a willing passer on his way to the rim. If Green is cutting from the weak side, he can benefit from those passes and use his athleticism to put an exclamation point on the possession.

Regardless of who finishes second on the team in scoring, I think we’re going to see a much more entertaining version of Suns basketball. Don’t get me wrong, everybody in the arena loves it when the team hits a three. It’s kind of like a home run; everybody gives a high five. What really gets people out of their seats, though, is when beautiful ball movement ends with a slam dunk or an easy two points at the rim. That is something Jalen Green can provide with regularity.

And that may ultimately be the biggest difference between this offense and the one we watched stumble through the end of last season. Phoenix shouldn’t have to live and die by the three-point line anymore. If they want to surpass that 38.5 over on FanDuel, Booker will have to create gravity, Bridges will have to collapse defenses, and Green will have to use his athleticism to punish the openings that follow. The goal isn’t to abandon the three. It’s to create better ones while rediscovering everything that can happen before the ball ever gets there.

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On this day in Bucks history: Milwaukee signs Bobby Simmons

ST. FRANCIS, WI - AUGUST 8: Larry Harris, Milwaukee Bucks General Manager (L) introduces Bobby Simmons (R) to the media during a press conference at the Milwaukee Bucks Training Center on August 8, 2005 in St. Francis, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 2005. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

I can remember it vividly. Year 11 (junior year to most of you). My best friend’s voice riding the wind across the yard.

“Did you see it?”

I looked up, mouth ajar, eyes staring as if I was mid matrices exam. Then the follow-up.

“The Bucks have signed Bobby Simmons!”

Dilation. Pupils, mouth. Everything.

It was true. A quick—okay, slow (we’re talking ADSL speeds)—Google search (or was it Ask Jeeves?) confirmed the news. The NBA’s reigning Most Improved Player (MIP), coming off a season in which he averaged 16.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.4 SPG on .466/.435/.846 shooting, was joining the Bucks on a 5-year $47m contract.

And they were movin’ on up.

The promise

My excitement was palpable, even as a closet fan. Coming off a 25th-placed 30-52 season the year prior, Simmons’ arrival signalled change and upward trajectory in Milwaukee. But he wasn’t alone. T.J. Ford—yes, that new assistant coach—was back after missing his entire sophomore season due to a severe spinal injury, Michael Redd had just re-signed on a six-year deal (remember those?), and Andrew Bogut had arrived in town after being selected with the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft. Youth and promise. Sounds familiar, right? Oh, and they had a new coach too, moving off one Terry (Porter) for another (Stotts).

But the roster revitalisation wasn’t done. Not yet. Two months later, Milwaukee would trade for All-Star centre Jamaal Magloire in a deal that sent out Desmond Mason and a 2006 first-round pick (that would become Cedric Simmons). And just like that, the starters were set: two seven-footers up front, a big-bodied forward on the wing, a sweet-shooting two, and an exciting, young point. Read that sentence again and you could easily confuse it for this year’s squad.

So, with a revamped starting five that also strengthened the bench—2004-05 starters Joe Smith, Mo Williams, and Dan Gadzuric became reserves—the Bucks looked primed for a playoff push.

Bright beginnings

The season started with a bang—a 117-108 overtime win against the Philadelphia 76ers—and Simmons looked every bit the key free agent signing Bucks fans had hoped for, dropping 22 points to go along with a career-high-tying 12 rebounds. Up next, New Jersey. Kidd, Vince, RJ. SEGABABA. And when my best mate told me he’d organised his next door neighbour to record it on VHS for us (it was our only access to full NBA games), I became Bango after nailing an overhead half-court shot.

We watched it that afternoon (time difference and all that), dragging dining chairs into the corner of his room so we could get as close as possible to his box TV. The mid-2000s style meant every basket was a grind, and when Dan Gadzurichit the Bucks’ first field goal—an isolation, face-up jumper from the left block with 6:43 on the clock to make it a 9-3 Nets lead—I could finally move off the front of the chair. At the end of the first, the Nets led 29-17. By halftime, it was 55-50 and Simmons had gone just 1/6 from the field. He didn’t improve much after the break, missing his only attempt, but a 33-point second-half explosion by Redd secured a Bucks victory. Enthused, we chucked NBA Live into his PlayStation 2, let our inner Larry Harrises out, and had at it.

Three nights later, Simmons looked back to his Opening Night self, putting up 23 points, four rebounds, and three assists to lead the Bucks over D-Wade and the Miami Heat, giving Milwaukee their first three-game winning streak to start the season since 2001-02. They remained hot too. By mid-December, the Bucks were 12-7. By the New Year, they were 17-11. And despite cooling off by the time All-Star break came around, they remained in the black: 27-25.

Simmons, however, wasn’t quite living up to expectations, regressing statistically across the board thanks in large part to the inconsistent play his opening three games foreshadowed. 20 points one night become single digits the next. And across the season’s first three months, he seemed to be hurting more than he was helping (a plus/minus of -46). He would amend that on the back of a season-high 26 points (including 5/9 from three) in a two-point loss to the Houston Rockets to begin February, finishing the second half of the season at +95 despite the Bucks going just 17-20 over this stretch.

Overall, Simmons’ first year with the Bucks was solid if unspectacular: 13.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 1.1 SPG on .453/.420/.825 splits. More importantly, the Bucks had made good on that playoff promise.

A post-season taster

Despite the excitement, Milwaukee’s playoff run didn’t last long. Playing the second-seeded “Goin’ to Work” Detroit Pistons—Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton, and Chauncey Billups—the Bucks were beaten in a gentleman’s sweep, experiencing their only taste of victory in Game 3 thanks to a combined 60 points on absurd 23/31 shooting from Redd and Williams, and a team-leading seven rebounds and 15 assists from Ford. Simmons chipped in with a steady 10 points, four boards, and three assists.

Across the series, though, to say he struggled would be an understatement. In his first taste of post-season action, Simmons was held to just 6.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.8 SPG, shooting a paltry 33% from the field while not attempting a single free throw, despite playing 31.8 MPG. Still, it was a season of growth and Simmons and the Bucks headed into the offseason full of optimism.

The E.N.D.

Despite being released in 2009, much of the Black Eyed Peas’ fifth studio album, The E.N.D.,was recorded in 2006. And its vocally-manipulated spoken-word hidden intro could easily be seen as an epigraph for the 2006-07 Bucks: “Everything around you is changing. Nothing stays the same. This version of myself is not permanent. Tomorrow I will be different. The energy never dies.” After all, the 2006-07 Bucks were changed.

In June, Ford was traded to the Toronto Raptors for Charlie Villanueva. In July, Magloire was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Steve Blake, Ha Seung-Jin, and Brian Skinner. In August, Smith was traded to the Denver Nuggets for Ruben Patterson, while Jiří Welsch left the Bucks for Spanish ACB league club Unicaja Málaga. Then, in September, Toni Kukoč retired.

But the most devastating change happened in October. Simmons suffered an ankle injury in training camp and, in December, the Bucks announced that he’d undergone “successful arthroscopic surgery [and was] expected to be sidelined for the rest of the regular season.” With it, the energy did die.

New recruit Villanueva was limited to 39 games, Redd played just 53, and the Bucks finished the season 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 28-54 record. In June’s NBA Draft, they controversially used the sixth overall pick to select Yi Jianlian out of China.

Simmons returned in 2007-08, mostly in a reserve role, putting up 7.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 1.1 APG. But the winning didn’t—the Bucks finished just 26-56. Then, on June 26, less than three years after inking his 5-year $47m deal, Simmons was traded along with Yi to the Nets for Richard Jefferson. And, just like that, the Bobby Simmons era in Milwaukee was done.

By that time, high school had finished for my best mate and me.

Our adolescence had too.

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Penguins forward depth: what to do with all these players?

SUNRISE, FL - OCTOBER 23: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) skates with the puck during the pre game warm up prior to the the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers on Thursday, October 23, 2025 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After Ville Koivunen’s massive eight-year contract, an already crowded Pittsburgh Penguin forward depth chart is now bursting at the seems. However, Kyle Dubas didn’t paint Koivunen as a lock to make the NHL roster coming out of training camp.

“He will still have to earn everything,” Dubas said. “As we have shown over the last few years, a long-term contract does not mean you are given anything in Pittsburgh. He will need to earn his roster spot and opportunity in training camp. He will need to finish the summer strong, show gains in power and speed on the ice in training camp and exhibition games.”

Koivunen would require waivers to be sent down, and that long-term deal just might be a poison pill for other organizations (then again, if they see the contract from a different perspective, it might not be that prohibitive).

Either way, the Pens signed Koivunen long because there is a belief he will have something to offer to the NHL team in the future. Whether that future is now, to Dubas’ point, is dependent on how Koivunen performs at training camp.

The problem is that there isn’t a lot of space for him due to a huge roster crunch right now.

Top-nine forwards, locks (9)

Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Evgeni Malkin, Egor Chinakhov, Ben Kindel, Tommy Novak, Andrei Kuzmenko, Nick Robertson

These nine players, it sounds safe enough to say, will all be in the lineup in a featured spot if they are healthy when the season starts on September 30th. What line some of them may be on to configure everything just right is up for grabs as far as who plays where, but this is the base of the forward group for next season.

Fourth line forwards, locks (2)

Blake Lizotte, Connor Dewar

Lizotte and Dewar were two-thirds of a great fourth line last season, both have limited wiggle room to move up the lineup and placed perfectly in the heavy lifting for d-zone starts and PK duty that the role requires.

The blender (6 for one lineup spot, up to two more roster spots)

Justin Brazeau, Elmer Soderblom, Hendrix Lapierre, Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, Avery Hayes

All six of these players have strong cases for belonging on an NHL roster in 2026-27, though space is running short. At this point, it seems easiest and most likely to boot McGroarty and Hayes to WBS for the start of the season and count on them getting opportunities as mid-season injury replacements when and as needed. That still would require some tough choices on how to figure the rest.

—

Ultimately, one trade announcement could go a long way towards fixing the numbers. One wouldn’t think that recently re-signed players like Lizotte, Dewar or Novak will be going anywhere soon, but then again no one saw an eight-year contract to a fringe player either.

Brazeau looks to be the most obvious candidate to drop – he was a healthy scratch for much of the playoffs and the additions of players like Kuzmenko, Robertson and Lapierre could push Brazeau out of a spot in the lineup next year too. No such trade has happened just yet, though the off-season isn’t the only time to make trades. The Pens have traded players like Lars Eller and Mark Friedman away in previous October/November’s.

Another area to keep an eye on is Rakell and Rust in their mid-30’s. The team has been hesitant to move these important players but if there ever was a time where they are prepared to withstand the trade of one of them it would be now. Are the Pens beefing up numbers to brace for that? It remains unknown but could also be pre-planned.

Yet another possibility is there could be an off-season surgery that hasn’t yet been announced or even happened yet. Crosby had a wrist surgery in September 2021 that came out of the blue to the public after his efforts to rehab and deal with the issue proved to not be enough. Something similar happened with McGroarty and an unmentioned summer surgery that kept him out at the beginning of the year and was only announced on the first day of camp.

There’s obviously no outward indication that Crosby or anyone else is dealing with a lingering issue , but there’s always a chance that around training camp that a player considered a ‘lock’ could actually be IR bound at the beginning of the season. There’s also no guarantee that all the presumed locks make it to the start of the season. Last preseason alone all of Bryan Rust, Kevin Hayes, Joel Blomqvist and Jack St. Ivany got injured before Game 1 and were on the IR at the beginning of the season because of it, along with McGroarty.

Not all of those were key players but it goes to show that the injury bug is random and always just around the corner to pop up and potentially turn 17 forward candidates into a more manageable figure to find 14 healthy ones.

Whether or not that includes Koivunen and if his new contract will help him find a spot on the team remains to be seen. The Pens have too many numbers up front for the moment, though it can change in a moment’s notice.

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Good Or Bad? Maple Leafs Only NHL Team Without An Expiring Contract Within Next Two Seasons On Projected Roster

The Toronto Maple Leafs had one of the busiest off-seasons in the NHL this summer, signing an abundance of UFAs as well as a few notable trades from GM John Chayka.

However, in terms of internal business, such as signing significant players to contract extensions, the organization wasn't so occupied on that front. Aside from trade acquisitions like Darren Raddysh and Emil Andrae, they re-signed defenseman Troy Stecher.

For the next little while, the Maple Leafs will remain relatively quiet with expiring contracts on the roster. In fact, no player on Toronto's roster will have an expiring contract within the next two seasons, according to PuckPedia. Some players will be eligible to sign contract extensions next off-season, but none of those deals will be officially expiring until 2027-28 is completed.

It's a unique position to be in for the Maple Leafs, especially considering that no other team in the NHL is in the same situation. The team closest to having all their players locked up for the next two campaigns is the Florida Panthers, with Lars Eller and Garnet Hathaway becoming UFAs following 2026-27.

With the Maple Leafs not having to worry about contract negotiations for NHL players for a little while, is that a good thing or a bad thing? There are two ways to look at it. 

Gavin McKenna’s No. 92 Maple Leafs Jersey Now Available at Real Sports After Giving Up No. 72 to Sergei BobrovskyGavin McKenna’s No. 92 Maple Leafs Jersey Now Available at Real Sports After Giving Up No. 72 to Sergei BobrovskyThe first-overall pick’s official No. 92 jersey is now on sale at Real Sports after McKenna deferred his longtime number out of respect for Sergei Bobrovsky.

On one hand, the players or staff members wouldn't be distracted by negotiations or contract disputes, allowing the team to focus on hockey and results. On the flip side, not having the option to walk away from a player or two at the end of the year can handcuff Chayka and the roster potentially. In other words, there is a lack of flexibility.

Four of the six players that Chayka brought in through free agency were inked to two-year contracts. Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger and Zack MacEwen are all under contract through 2027-28.

Maple Leafs' Three Most Challenging Contracts For 2026-27 NHL SeasonMaple Leafs' Three Most Challenging Contracts For 2026-27 NHL SeasonFor the most part, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in pretty good shape when it comes to the roster's payroll. However, there are a small handful of contracts that may become challenging to deal with in the future.

Therefore, if one of those players didn't fit in with the roster, or head coach Jim Hiller's play style, or just underperforms, the simplest solution is unavailable, which would be to let that player go when the deal expires. Instead, if one of those acquisitions struggles in their first year with the team and can't really find a groove in Toronto, the franchise is stuck with him, unless they can find a trade partner.

Speaking of trades, not only could these contracts be a short-term freeze to the roster, but they might hinder any desire to add when it comes to the trade deadline, or at any other point during the season when a clear need or hole in the lineup emerges.

Making a trade will always be possible one way or another, but with the Maple Leafs' roster pretty much filled up, there isn't much room for new opportunity or adjustment.

Should The Maple Leafs Consider Giving Gavin McKenna The Auston Matthews Rookie Treatment?Should The Maple Leafs Consider Giving Gavin McKenna The Auston Matthews Rookie Treatment?For the opening night of the 2026-27 NHL season, should the Toronto Maple Leafs give Gavin McKenna the Auston Matthews rookie treatment?

To combat that argument, this could be a drama-free season in terms of contract negotiations, particularly with star players. 

Auston Matthews is the star player with the most recent expiration date, as his deal is done after 2027-28. But even then, he isn't eligible to sign a contract extension until next off-season.

As for the others, William Nylander is locked in through 2031-32, which is six years remaining on his deal. Also, John Tavares and Matthew Knies signed their contract extensions two days apart in late June 2025. Tavares' expires the soonest, in three more seasons.

Even the youngsters in Easton Cowan and Gavin McKenna won't be occupied by contract negotiations for the next couple of years. Cowan has two more years left on his entry-level contract, while McKenna, of course, will be beginning his entry-level deal this coming season as he inches closer to making his NHL debut.

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3 Flyers Prospects Who Could Make a Splash at Training Camp

In the doldrums of the 2026 offseason, the Philadelphia Flyers appear to be done adding to their roster, though training camp can and will throw wrenches into the plan, be it through injury or otherwise.

For instance, this time last year, we all had prospect defenseman Helge Grans penciled in as the No. 6 defenseman to play on the third defense pair, but the Swede had a training camp and preseason performance so bad that the job was decidedly handed to Noah Juulsen, who had a slow camp himself working back from a season-ending hernia.

On defense, especially, that scenario could play out for the Flyers again in some way, as Rasmus Ristolainen, perpetually a trade candidate, has only one year left on his contract, as does newcomer Simon Benoit.

No. 3: Oliver Bonk, RHD

Rather quickly, 2023 first-round pick Oliver Bonk is showing signs of NHL potential, recording a goal and assist in his NHL debut against Montreal on April 14, then making his Stanley Cup playoff debut against the Hurricanes in the 3-2 overtime loss in Game 4 on May 9.

The Flyers organization is clearly bullish on the 21-year-old; they aren't the types to hand out debuts in important games just because.

If Bonk is able to continue to perform well, add more strength and play speed, and stay healthy this time around, the former 22nd overall pick should have no issues inserting himself into the conversation for an NHL roster spot.

Last year, the competition between Juulsen and Grans had been so uninspiring that Bonk, if healthy, likely had a legitimate chance to make the roster, especially given that the Flyers technically weren't a playoff team with expectations at the time.

Flyers Defense Prospect 'One of the Best' at World Junior Summer ShowcaseFlyers Defense Prospect 'One of the Best' at World Junior Summer ShowcaseRising Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Amico is beginning to draw rave reviews from national experts around the NHL.

That context makes things a bit more challenging this year, but a strong showing from Bonk could earn him a roster spot at the expense of someone like Ristolainen, or even David Jiricek.

No. 2: Hunter McDonald, LHD

Continuing with the theme on defense here, Hunter McDonald, the Flyers' last remaining unsigned restricted free agent, is running out of time to make an NHL impact.

McDonald, 24, made his NHL debut, like Bonk, against the Canadiens on April 14, recording his first NHL point--an assist--with a sparkling +3 rating and a McDonald classic four penalty minutes.

The hulking 6-foot-4 defenseman will be 25 years old at the end of next season, and it's up to him to prove to the Flyers that he can replace the older, more expensive veterans in Benoit and Nick Seeler and take over the roles they play for the team.

Drafted as an overager in 2022, McDonald is another prospect who is an in-house favorite, but he will know that Ty Murchison also played well in his cameo for the Flyers last year, and the organization just allocated a first-round pick to selecting Maksim Sokolovskii, another bruiser, at the 2026 NHL Draft two months ago.

With Seeler getting older and no longer shielded by trade protection, and with Benoit only under contract for one year, this could be McDonald's best shot at landing an NHL roster spot with the Flyers.

He's got some wind in his sails after making his NHL debut, but that must now carry over into training camp for the real push ahead.

No. 1: Devin Kaplan, RW

I'm sure many of you were probably expecting Jett Luchanko to be the player representing the forwards here, but the Flyers want him to play as many minutes as possible if he isn't one of the 12 best forwards on the roster... in other words: an established every-night NHLer.

Instead, I wanted to acknowledge Devin Kaplan, a 6-foot-3 right winger who made his NHL debut for the Flyers at the end of that dreadful 2024-25 season in a 5-4 loss to Buffalo.

Exclusive Q&A: Flyers GM Danny Briere on Matthew Schaefer's Calder, Top Prospects, and Free AgencyExclusive Q&A: Flyers GM Danny Briere on Matthew Schaefer's Calder, Top Prospects, and Free AgencyIn an interview with The Hockey News, Philadelphia Flyers general manager Danny Briere discusses his top prospects, former players, free agency, and more.

Kaplan, 22, played his first full pro season in the AHL for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last year, scoring five goals, eight assists, and 13 points in 49 games before suffering a season-ending injury.

Heading into a contract year, and with the Flyers' logjam of wingers, Kaplan needs a strong camp to keep himself on the radar, and further embracing the grinder playstyle will help him do that.

The Flyers had re-signed Carl Grundstrom earlier this offseason to a one-year, $1 million deal, but they would assuredly be thrilled with the development of another one of their young prospects beating out a veteran for a roster spot, just as Nikita Grebenkin did last year, and Denver Barkey and Alex Bump did later in the season.

After signing Noel Acciari, the Flyers don't really need Grundstrom's versatility to fill in at center, which opens the door a wee bit more for a winger like Kaplan to come in and make a splash.

Plus, the Flyers traded away Garnet Hathaway this offseason, so they'll be missing their fourth-line sandpaper right wing. With Kaplan, the hope is that he can continue to grow into that kind of player, and what better time than the present to prove yourself?

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Open Thread: Luke Kornet stops to help a local motorist

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 7: Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs smiles during 2026 NBA Finals Practice and Media Availability on June 7, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In the midst of summer, members of the Spurs are in Paris, France working out and visiting a national art museum. Keldon Johnson made an appearance at a summer basketball camp in Laredo, Texas. And this weekend, the Spurs are hosting a back-to-school at the Frost Bank Center.

Meanwhile, somewhere in San Antonio, Luke Kornet is moonlighting as a roadside assistant.

A TikTok user posted this video of Kornet as he pulled over to help a motorist who was having car trouble.

It seems no matter where Kornet is, he makes the day brighter. Good on ya, Luke.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

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Phillies news: Chase Utley, Luis Arraez, Dave Dombrowski

PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 07: Phillies legend Chase Utley is shown during his Wall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays on August 7th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

What a night for an all-time Phillies great. Chase Utley gave his Wall of Fame speech on a night that was a little delayed by rain and he was finally immortalized among the team’s greats, as he should be. Next stop: Cooperstown.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

    MLB news:

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    Summer reset: FSU baseball’s portal haul and draft luck put Link Jarrett’s program on the right track heading into the fall

    For the last two baseball seasons, Florida State has been in a vicious cycle of not being able to line up veteran bats with veteran arms.

    Last season, the Noles’ top seven pitchers in innings were all juniors or older, making the Seminole arms the calling card that pushed FSU to host its third-straight regional. However, the reason why Florida State did not make it to a third-consecutive Super Regional was the lack of composure at the plate and in the field. Jarrett’s team scored five runs or fewer in three of four games in the Tallahassee regional, as the bats went silent at the worst time.

    A year before, a veteran duo of Alex Lodise and Drew Faurot powered FSU at the plate and in the field as Florida State finished one win away from going to Omaha. The offense finished second in the ACC in batting average and ripped over 100 home runs, 24 more homers than in 2026. Unfortunately, the Noles did not have the experience needed on the mound and lacked trustworthy bullpen options, as Florida State struggled to put away games while giving up too many crooked numbers.

    But for the upcoming 2027 season, FSU will have age, talent, and experience on both the mound and at the dish for the first time since 2024.

    It starts with a bit of luck, especially on the pitching side.

    Even though Florida State lost its top-two high school recruits in the MLB Draft, Jarrett and his staff will feel they came out ahead given who was not selected, as RHP John Abraham, RHP Chris Knier, LHP Payton Manca and LHP Cooper Whited return to Tallahassee after not hearing their name called. Starting with Abraham, it was shocking he did not get drafted, and he would have almost certainly signed after his junior season. But, according to Brett Nevitt, he will now turn into a full-time starter, giving Florida State a 1-2 punch atop its rotation alongside transfer LHP Cayden Suchy, who was the 2026 Big East Pitcher of the Year at UConn. On the backend of the rotation, Manca and Whited return for another season and will battle for the Sunday and midweek slots with a host of right-handed transfers, including RHP Isaiah Shayter, who started 14 games for Penn State last season.

    In the bullpen, the Noles return a ton of experience, headlined by Knier, who became Micah Posey’s #2 reliever over the course of the 2026 season. LHP Kevin Mebil was also not selected in the MLB Draft and should be in line for an increase in his 20.0 innings pitched a season ago. Further down the line, RHP Cade O’Leary will be expected to take another step after an erratic sophomore season, and RHP Rhett Vaughn looks exceptional on the Cape this summer, with an ERA under one with over 20 innings pitched.

    This will be one of the oldest staffs Posey has had in his time in Tallahassee, with a mix of returning production and four transfer pitchers, all with starting experience. The questions in fall camp will be around Abraham’s transition as a starter, who wins the Sunday slot, and who else besides Mebil can be trusted as a bullpen LHP. But the Seminoles will begin the season with a belief that the answers to those questions are in their clubhouse.

    On the position-player side, FSU also received welcome draft news with the return of OF Brody DeLamielleure and INF Cal Fisher, but more importantly, Jarrett entered the portal to address some of his wrongs from the 2025 season. Out is Gabe Fraser at shortstop, who entered the transfer portal, and in comes former Indiana SS Cooper Malamazian, who has played in 106 collegiate games with a career .310 batting average, bringing a veteran presence to the infield the Noles desperately lacked a season ago. Jarrett also picked up 1B Nick Barron from Northwestern and 1B/LHP Jackson McKenzie from FAMU, both LHH who hit for power to try and replace the production from Myles Bailey. The rest of the infield should be a battle between returners Cal Fisher, Will Bavaro, Jace Estes, and Texas transfer Callum Early. Both Estes and Early are LHH and will help solve the over-reliance on RHH in the lineup in 2025.

    Moving to the outfield, this should once again be a position of strength for Florida State in the 2027 season. John Stuetzer should shift to center field and be one of the most dynamic players in the country after starting 51 games as a freshman and leading the Noles in RBI. As mentioned, DeLamielleure returns and will want to capitalize on a strong second half of his season to boost his draft stock in his redshirt-junior campaign. Most likely, transfer OF Ty Peeples, a LHH, will play left field and is one of the most interesting pickups of the offseason for FSU. Peeples spent his freshman year at Georgia and did not play much, but brings an incredible profile to Dick Howser Stadium. Perfect Game rated Peeples the best outfielder in Georgia in the 2025 recruiting class, and the Toronto Blue Jays drafted him in the 20th round of the 2025 MLB Draft, but he elected to go to campus. Listed at 6’2” and 188 pounds, Peeples can hit for average and power on the left side with above-average athleticism. Jarrett will hope that extended playing time can bring out the best in one of the most talented players on the roster.

    It is too early to make any predictions about what this team can be or what its expectations are. But Jarrett assembled a roster where the pieces fit together and used the transfer portal to infuse talent into positions of need, instead of overhauling the whole roster like in previous years. Depending on the way the football season goes, the excitement for the 2027 baseball season will start to build in the fall.

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    Rangers v Hibs: Pick of the stats

    Rangers v Hibs pick of the stats
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    • Rangers lost their last league meeting with Hibernian 1-2 at Ibrox in May but have not lost successive top-flight matches against Hibs since November 2005 under Alex McLeish.
    • Hibernian have won two of their past three league visits to Rangers (L1) and could win successive trips in the top-flight for just the fourth time, previously doing so in September 1902, October 1985, and February 2018.
    • There have been 35 goals scored in Rangers' past seven league games at Ibrox, an average of five per game. Their most recent game was a 2-1 defeat by Hibs in May – they have never lost consecutive home league games against the same team both times. They last duplicated the same result and opponent in April/August 1990, back-to-back wins against Dunfermline Athletic.
    • The past six results in Hibernian's Scottish Premiership matches have been away wins – they have lost four home games and won their two away games in this streak. The last side to have a longer run was Rangers between February and April 2025 (7), with the seventh game in that run ending Rangers 0-2 Hibernian.
    • Thelo Aasgaard has scored in each of his past three Premiership appearances for Rangers – the last Ibrox player with a longer streak was Cyriel Dessers in April and May 2025 (5 in a row).
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    Braves News: Tyler Mahle debuts, win streak snapped, and more

    NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 07: Tyler Mahle #54 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, August 7, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

    The Atlanta Braves’ eight-game win streak came to an end on Friday after a 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees. Tyler Mahle, acquired just ahead of the trade deadline, made his Braves debut and was fantastic. In six scoreless innings, he allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out nine. 

    Though a terrific start from Mahle, the Braves’ bats were quiet and the bullpen was unable to hang on, ultimately leading to the loss in extra innings.

    The Braves aim to even things up this afternoon behind Chris Sale.

    More Braves News:

    Cam Caminiti made his Double-A debut on Thursday and threw 5.1 innings. More in the minor league recap. 

    Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Braves were in on Jacob deGrom.

    MLB News:

    Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene will undergo season-ending elbow surgery. It has not been decided if he will require Tommy John surgery.

    The Minnesota Twins have placed pitcher Joe Ryan on the 15-day injured list with a mild left glute strain. 

    From the Feed:

    Braves Clubhouse Manager John Holland has been inducted into the Major League Baseball Clubhouse Managers Association Hall of Fame.

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    James Harden gun case is settled

    EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 19: James Harden attends the FIFA Gold Carpet before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Arturo Holmes - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) | FIFA via Getty Images

    Earlier this summer, Cleveland Cavaliers free agent guard James Harden was arrested on Saturday, June 26, outside of Houston after having a handgun visible in the car during a routine traffic stop. The handgun was not carried in a holster as it should’ve been. Harden was booked later that same day and released on bond.

    It looks like this situation will not follow Harden and presumably, the Cavaliers are not going to have this dark cloud hanging overhead to start the upcoming season. It was reported by TMZ that the case against Harden has been dismissed.

    It was also reported by The Athletic that Harden and the Harris County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office “completed an alternative resolution agreement.” Those details aren’t known at this time.

    It appears Harden will be able to put this situation behind him and now fully focus on his contract negotiations with the Cavaliers.

    Harden has been delaying his new contract with the Cavaliers to offer some flexibility for roster upgrades. It has been rumored that Harden’s deal will be a two or three-year agreement, but the specifics depend on what the Cavs do elsewhere on the roster.

    As the season slowly approaches, it is beneficial for both Harden and Cleveland not to have a legal issue dangling over both the player and the team.

    Harden played in 26 regular-season games with the Cavs last regular season after being traded to them in February in a deal that saw Darius Garland head to the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden averaged 20.5 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.8 rebounds on .466/.435/.840 shooting splits. He also appeared in 18 playoff games with Cleveland, averaging 19.2 points and 5.5 assists per game.