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Should Two Top Forward Prospects Make Penguins' Opening Night Roster?

Apr 6, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rutger McGroarty (2) warms up before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t making a huge push to be Stanley Cup contenders in 2025-26, they have had a relatively active summer up to this point. 

Many are still waiting on what feels like inevitable trade news regarding at least one of Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, or Bryan Rust, but GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has already made a lot of small moves - some, seemingly, placeholder moves to fill the roster flip at the deadline, and others upside moves for younger players in need of a change.

As it stands now, the Penguins have 13 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goaltenders on their active roster. And two players who are not listed on the roster?

That would be young forward prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty. 

Koivunen, 22, and McGroarty, 21, both made strong impressions in a small sample size to close out the 2024-25 season. Koivunen was nearly point-per-game playing alongside both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby in the top-six, registering seven points in eight games. And McGroarty wasn’t far behind, either, before a lower-body injury ended his season, as he put up a goal and three points in five games with Crosby.

The Penguins are at a point in their rebuild where they need to start getting a feel for which of their near-NHL-ready prospects will be part of their future plans. Koivunen and McGroarty both showed a lot of promise in their season-ending NHL stints, and they certainly showed that they are NHL-ready.

The problem is that - given those moves the Penguins have made so far to fill up their roster space - it’s far from a guarantee that they’ll even make the opening night roster.

Will Owen Pickering Make The Opening Night Roster?Will Owen Pickering Make The Opening Night Roster?The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a lot of decisions to make regarding some of their young players before the puck drops on the regular season Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers.

Dubas said just prior to free agency that the Penguins are not just going to hand opportunities to even their most promising young prospects and that they’d have to earn their way onto the roster during training camp. And that’s why he intended on - and followed through on - acquiring and signing players to shorter-term deals.

“I think the key thing is that we want these guys to earn it,” Dubas said. “So, if we just start handing the guys spots, we’re going to very quickly lose what I think the Penguins have been about for a very long time and what’s made the Penguins a great team in the league since the early 90s.”

He added: “It’s right there for them. We’re not going to block them, but they’re going to have to go out and prove that they can be here, and they’re going to have to earn their way here… It’s trying to find that balance between not blocking players but making them earn it and also having enough depth to be competitive on a nightly basis.”

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) takes the ice for his rookie lap before making his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

So, realistically, who will Koivunen and McGroarty be competing against to make the roster, and do both of them have a realistic shot at cracking the roster from the jump?

To be clear, a lot of this depends on what happens with Rakell and Rust. If both are on the roster to begin the season, it definitely complicates matters for both players. But since - as of now - both are still in Pittsburgh, it’s best to operate on the assumption that they will still be around, at least, for now. 

Right now, here are the 13 forwards on the Penguins’ active roster, according to Puckpedia:

  • Crosby
  • Malkin
  • Rust
  • Rakell
  • Kevin Hayes
  • Tommy Novak
  • Anthony Mantha
  • Danton Heinen
  • Noel Acciari
  • Blake Lizotte
  • Philip Tomasino
  • Justin Brazeau 
  • Connor Dewar
Can Connor Dewar Prove Penguins Right This Year?Can Connor Dewar Prove Penguins Right This Year?The Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance on forward Connor Dewar before the 2025 NHL trade deadline when they acquired him and defenseman Conor Timmins from the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Assuming that no one else gets moved off the roster, the players already on the roster who figure to be in competition for spots - along with Koivunen and McGroarty - are Heinen, Tomasino, Brazeau, Acciari, Hayes, and Dewar. In addition, there will be a few other prospects competing for those same spots as well, which will include the likes of Tristan Broz, Avery Hayes, Sam Poulin, and Filip Hallander - the reigning Swedish Hockey League (SHL) forward of the year after recording 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games with Timra IK.

In other words, making the roster is certainly an uphill climb for both Koivunen and McGroarty if there are no other moves to alter the current roster prior to puck drop on Oct. 7. But, despite that, the young forwards are two of the best prospects in the Penguins’ system, and their sample size at the end of last season should give them a leg up on pretty much every other prospect who will be vying for a spot as long as they show up ready to compete at camp.

And if only one makes the roster?

Apr 3, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rutger McGroarty (2) is congratulated by right wing Rickard Rakell (67) and right wing Ville Koivunen (41) after scoring his first NHL goal to tie the game against the St. Louis Blues during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Honestly, this is a tough exercise because both showed they are ready in their own right. Koivunen’s age makes it a bit more pertinent for him to be in the NHL mix now, and his AHL season in 2024-25 certainly earned him that opportunity, as he put up 21 goals and 56 points in 63 games and finished third among rookies in scoring.

But McGroarty’s all-around game is hard to ignore, as was his chemistry with Crosby. He heated up in the back half of the AHL season and experienced immense growth from the start of the season - when he made the team out of camp and played three NHL games before being sent to the AHL - to the end of the season. Him starting in the AHL probably wouldn’t be as unpalatable as Koivunen starting there, only because it would give him a chance to prove he can sustain his production and growth from the end of 2024-25.

In all honesty, however, both deserve an NHL roster spot. And, as long as they don’t fail camp, Penguins’ fans should expect to see their names on the final roster following training camp.

Don't Sleep On Filip Hallander This FallDon't Sleep On Filip Hallander This FallThe Pittsburgh Penguins were encouraged by what Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen brought to the table at the end of the 2024-25 season, and rightfully so.

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Feature Image Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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Yankees' Max Fried denies blister flare-up in mistake-riddled loss to Blue Jays

The blister issue that forced Yankees ace Max Fried to miss a reunion start with the Braves last weekend seemed like old news. With an effective fastball-cutter combo, the veteran southpaw retired the first 10 batters faced against the division-rival Blue Jays on Wednesday night, resembling a Cy Young candidate in familiar rhythm.

But before exiting with one out in the fifth and a one-run deficit, cameras caught Fried repeatedly rubbing his fingers on his undershirt. There was also some blood on his pinkie. So, it was safe to assume that a flare-up of his recent blister -- plus a comedy of fielding errors -- contributed to New York's hideous 8-4 loss to Toronto at Rogers Centre.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing the strike zone, denied any trouble with Fried's blister when asked after the game. Fried then said as much, contending that he cut his finger late and it was unrelated to the blister.

"Coming in, first start off the break for me, I just wanted to make sure I put us in a good position," Fried said after the loss. "Let the lead up early and frankly, just didn't do my job tonight. Walking guys definitely isn't going to help. And throwing the ball away and having two more come in -- especially battling and letting it go -- is frustrating. For me, that can't happen."

Whether or not Fried was truly hampered by a blister in his later innings, the results of his outing showed a pitcher working with a weaker arsenal. Of the 102 total pitches thrown, he used his fastballs at a season-high 79.4 percent clip. The average mark for his fastball-cutter-sinker mix was at 59.7 percent entering Wednesday.

Fried didn't rely much on his secondary off-speed pitches. Consequently, he threw his sweeper just four times. He didn't throw a curveball until his 45th pitch, and his first changeup arrived 18 pitches later. He didn't even bother trying his slider, as rare as it is.

The pitches that require an uncomfortable grip on the seams and can cause blisters were the ones Fried avoided against the Blue Jays. While he didn't make excuses for the poor performance, the assumption of a reaggravated blister remains.

Of course, Fried struggled to rediscover his early groove for other reasons. The Yankees committed a whopping four errors, and Fried was responsible for two of them.

After a wild pitch in the fifth that allowed a pair of runners to advance into scoring position, Fried was trapped on a weak comebacker along the third-base line that produced an awkward toss home. The play at the plate couldn't be made by catcher J.C. Escarra, who lost the ball behind him and watched both runners score.

"Went for it, thought I might've been a little closer to the plate," Fried said. "I was running across the line. If I keep going, I'm going to throw it at him, so I just tried to throw around him. A tough angle and just not a good throw... We've put together some really good games defensively this year, and haven't shown it so far. But we believe that."

The nightmare resumed in the sixth. With the score once again tied -- thanks to an Aaron Judge two-run home run -- Fried surrendered a leadoff triple to Ernie Clement after his fly ball to right was surprisingly lost in the sky by Cody Bellinger. Moments later, Myles Straw ripped a double down the left-field line, giving the Blue Jays a lead they didn't relinquish again.

At the moment, there's no reason to believe that Fried won't make his next start, which is scheduled for next Tuesday against the Rays at Yankee Stadium.

Fried now owns a 2.62 ERA across 127.1 innings (21 games) this season, and his 116 total strikeouts rank 13th among qualified AL starters.

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Can Connor Dewar Prove Penguins Right This Year?

The Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance on forward Connor Dewar before the 2025 NHL trade deadline when they acquired him and defenseman Conor Timmins from the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

The Penguins were helping the Leafs out since they were busy with other deals on deadline day and only had to give up a 2025 fifth-round pick for both players. They let both play in the lineup down the stretch before ultimately deciding to re-sign Dewar to a one-year contract on July 1.

Timmins was traded to the Buffalo Sabres during the second day of the 2025 NHL Draft on June 28. 

Going back to Dewar, he had no goals and three assists in 31 games for the Maple Leafs before compiling four goals and seven points in 17 games with the Penguins. He was chipping in offensively and was a pain in the butt to deal with in front of the net and the corners. He was forechecking his butt off, making it hard for opposing teams to go from defense to offense. 

The Penguins want to see more of that from Dewar this upcoming season, but he will have to earn it since there is a lot of competition for bottom-six playing time right now.

If he nails down a spot and plays well, there's a chance the Penguins could look to flip him at the trade deadline since he is only signed for this year. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Yankees commit four errors in ugly 8-4 loss to Blue Jays

The momentum built from a thrilling win on Tuesday didn't inspire clean play from the Yankees on Wednesday, as they committed a whopping four errors in a humiliating 8-4 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Jasson Domínguez entered Wednesday in an 0-for-18 rut at the plate, but he didn't allow the skid to reach 19 at-bats. The rookie outfielder took advantage of his first matchup with Chris Bassitt in the second inning, ripping a solo home run into the right-center field bullpen to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. It was Domínguez's ninth blast of the season -- the ball traveled 380 feet with an exit velocity of 111 mph -- and the first one he hit since July 11.

-- Max Fried didn't seem bothered by a blister that forced him to miss a reunion start against the Braves last weekend. The Yankees' ace looked sharp early on, retiring the first 10 batters faced with effective use of his fastball-cutter combo. Fried also received defensive help, as Trent Grisham robbed Davis Schneider of a leadoff double in the first with a terrific running catch in left-center. Two innings later, Jazz Chisholm Jr. took an infield single away from Myles Straw with a slick backhanded grab up the middle and jump-throw to first.

-- The Blue Jays disrupted Fried's rhythm with one out in the fourth, however, as a single to center from George Springer and an RBI double to left from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knotted the score at 1-1. Then, after Fried gave up a walk and an infield single that loaded the bases, Ernie Clement put the Blue Jays ahead, 2-1, with an RBI single to center. The 24-pitch inning could've been far worse for Fried -- he got the third out on a grounder that deflected off his leg and fortunately bounced to a charging Oswald Peraza at third.

-- Anthony Volpe nearly cost the Yankees a win on Tuesday with a costly throwing error, but he made up for that gaffe with his bat in the fifth inning. With one out, he took a cutter from Bassitt deep to left-center for a game-tying solo homer. But the game didn't remain tied for long. Fried stumbled again in the fifth, allowing a pair of walks and a stolen base that preceded defensive mishaps. He allowed both baserunners to advance into scoring position on a wild pitch, and then a tricky throw home on a tough comebacker got past catcher J.C. Escarra and placed the Blue Jays ahead, 4-2.

-- Sloppiness in the fifth was erased with one swing by the Yankees' captain in the sixth. After a fielding error on Guerrero that allowed the leadoff man Grisham to reach second, Aaron Judge drilled a two-run shot to right-center off Bassitt that wiped the two-run deficit. It was career homer No. 352 for Judge, who now owns sole possession of sixth place on the franchise's all-time list. He's also tied for 99th on MLB's all-time list.

-- Once again, shoddy defense from the Yankees helped the Blue Jays retake the lead swiftly. In the bottom of the sixth, Clement wound up with a leadoff triple after his fly to right was surprisingly lost in the sky by Cody Bellinger. Fried then gave up a go-ahead double to Straw, which ended his frustrating night. It's possible Fried's blister flared up late, as TV cameras caught him rubbing his fingers on his undershirt in the sixth.

-- The Yankees added insult to potential injury shortly after Fried's exit. With reliever Jonathan Loáisiga on the mound, Ben Rice botched a grounder at first that brought another Blue Jays runner home, making the score 6-4. In the seventh, frustrations with the strike zone resulted in ejections for manager Aaron Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake, and after a fielding error from Dominguez, Bo Bichette smacked a two-run shot to left off Scott Effross that put the Blue Jays ahead by four.

-- Bassitt returned for the eighth inning, and managed to record the first out before exiting at 94 pitches. The pitching change to reliever Justin Bruihl sparked a brief rally, as Grisham and Bellinger produced back-to-back singles, but Judge ended the threat by grounding into an inning-ending double play that required replay review. In the ninth, the Yankees went down in order against Yariel Rodriguez. They once again trail the Blue Jays by four games for first place in the AL East.

Game MVP: Chris Bassitt

While a handful of Blue Jays capitalized at the plate and took advantage of the Yankees' blunders, Bassitt provided ace-level length by striking out eight across 7.1 innings. It wasn't a clean effort -- he gave up four runs on three homers -- but still a strong showing from the veteran right-hander.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees (56-46) will have Thursday off and begin a seven-game homestand on Friday with a weekend series against the Phillies. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

RHP Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite RHP Taijuan Walker (3-3, 3.75 ERA).

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Mets Prospect Roundup: Drew Gilbert has first four-hit game for Syracuse, Ryan Clifford hits two home runs with Double-A

Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert had himself a day for Triple-A Syracuse.

In Syracuse's 8-4 win over Omaha on Wednesday night, Gilbert picked up four hits, including a double, in his stellar 4-for-5 night at the plate. It's the first four-hit game of Gilbert's professional career. His big hit came in Syracuse's four-run second inning, when his single drove in a run to put the Mets up 6-0 at the time.

Gilbert increased his batting average to .246 with the four-hit game. In 75 games with Triple-A, he has 12 home runs with 47 RBI and an OPS of .786.

Pitching prospect Blade Tidwell started Wednesday's game and was solid. The right-hander tossed 74 pitches (45 strikes) in 3.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks while striking out four. It was the third consecutive start in which he allowed two or fewer runs, but he could not follow up his 5.1-shutout innings outing in his last start.

In 15 games (12 starts) this season, Tidwell has a 6-4 record with a 4.40 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.

Benge and Clifford go deep in Double-A

Down with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, a pair of hitting prospects went deep on Wednesday.

Carson Benge, the Mets' No. 5 prospect according to SNY's Joe DeMayo, went 1-for-5, but his lone hit was a solo shot. It's the third longball for Benge since being promoted to Double-A.

Ryan Clifford went deep twice for the Rumble Ponies in his 3-for-4 night. Clifford, DeMayo's No. 4 Mets prospect, now has 19 homers this season to go along with his slashline of .235/.351/.476 and an OPS of .827.

Other notable Double-A Mets include Jett Williams, who went 1-for-5.

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Demons to appeal Steven May’s three-game AFL ban for brutal collision

  • Melbourne defender found guilty of rough conduct at tribunal

  • Collision left Francis Evans concussed and with broken nose

Melbourne has confirmed it will appeal defender Steven May’s three-match ban for his devastating collision with an opponent that has divided the football world.

May was found guilty of rough conduct at the AFL tribunal on Wednesday night for the collision that concussed Francis Evans and left the Carlton forward with a broken nose and a chipped tooth.

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Yankees' Luis Gil completes first Triple-A rehab start with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Luis Gil made a good next step toward a Yankees return, completing his first rehab start with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Yankees transferred Gil's rehab from Double-A to Triple-A and the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year was roughed up a bit on Wednesday. Going up against the Rochester Red Wings, Gil pitched into the fourth inning, but it could have been better if not for one inning.

After allowing a solo shot to lead off his night, Gil would cruise until the third inning. He allowed three runs on two walks and three hits. The big knock came off the bat of Nick Schnell, who doubled in two runs with runners on first and second and two outs. Gil would complete the inning and get one out in the fourth before he was pulled after 67 pitches (44 strikes).

Gil allowed five runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four batters in what is expected to be a lengthy rehab assignment.

Prior to Wednesday, Gil made two starts with Somerset. In those two appearances, he allowed three runs in 6.2 innings while striking out 13 batters.

It's unclear whether this will be Gil's final rehab start, but manager Aaron Boone said there was no intention of rushing the young right-hander back from his right lat strain.

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Clifton Sour About Tenure With Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres trade that sent defenseman Connor Clifton and a 2025 second round pick to Pittsburgh for Conor Timmins and minor leaguer Isaac Beliveau was made in part because the Sabres coveted Timmins, a 26-year-old native of St Catharines, ON. Another factor according to GM Kevyn Adams was that Clifton would likely not be back after the final year of his three-year, $10 million contract. On Tuesday, Clifton spoke to the Pittsburgh media for the first time and did not hold his tongue regarding his two-year stay with the Sabres organization.

“I wasn’t too happy with it. I think I was all over the place. I wouldn’t even say last year, really the past two years. My game, it’s kind of been at a standstill.” Clifton said. “There’s been a lot of mental battles along the way. There was a couple of (healthy) scratches two years ago, too. My whole time in Buffalo, I feel like I kind of lost myself.”

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The 30-year-old signed with the Sabres the summer following their narrowly finishing behind Florida for the second Eastern Conference playoff spot. Adams did not make any roster changes, other than adding Clifton – coming off the Boston Bruins record-breaking President’s Trophy campaign in 2022-23 – and veteran Erik Johnson to bolster the Buffalo blueline. Clifton was excited to join the club under Don Granato, who had coached him in the US National Development Program, and because he was slated to play a top-four role alongside either Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power. By the end of the season, the New Jersey native was playing on the bottom-pairing, and Granato had been replaced by Lindy Ruff. 

Clifton played the same bottom-pairing role last season, finishing fifth in average ice time (16:03) and points (16) in 73 games.  

“The change of scenery, I got that call that I’m going to be a Pittsburgh Penguin, I was really excited for the change. I want to get back to my old self and how I play and the impact that I have on the game.” Clifton said. ““There’s always setbacks on your journey, I’m pretty proud of the journey I’m on. I think I have a lot left to give. I’m really excited for a fresh start in Pittsburgh and can’t wait to get started.” 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo 

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Freddie Freeman's walk-off hit saves the day, lifts Dodgers to win over Twins

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 23, 2025: Dodger players celebrate Freddy Freeman's walk-off single that gave the Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium on July 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Dodger players celebrate Freddie Freeman's walk-off single that gave the Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Twins at Dodger Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Remember when the Dodgers' injury-riddled rotation was the problem? That’s so last month.

The issue now is the bullpen. Over the last four weeks, the team’s bullpen ERA has ballooned to 4.44. Only six teams in the majors entered Wednesday with a higher mark.

Freddie Freeman saved the Dodgers from another painful bullpen implosion Wednesday, lining a two-out, two-run single to left field in the ninth inning, giving the team a 4-3 walk-off win over the Minnesota Twins in a getaway day matinee at Dodger Stadium.

An inning earlier Kirby Yates had given up two runs and an eighth-inning lead without recording an out. That wasted a season-best effort from right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who held the Twins to a run on three hits, striking out 12 batters, over seven innings. In each of his three starts since coming of the injured list, Glasnow has gone at least five innings and allowed fewer than two runs. His ERA in that span is 1.00.

Read more:'It just wasn't pretty.' Bullpen sinks slumping Dodgers again in loss to Twins

Glasnow left with a 2-1 lead but that was gone four batters later, with Yates walking the bases loaded, missing the plate on 12 of his 18 pitches. Alex Vesia came on to get Willi Castro to hit into a double play, but that allowed the tying run to score.

Pinch-hitter Harrison Bader then untied it with a poorly hit ball that got over the leaping Vesia before landing on the infield grass as Brooks Lee raced home from third.

The Dodgers were down to their last out in the ninth when Mookie Betts beat out an infield single. Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked and Esteury Ruiz followed with a walk of his own, bringing up Freeman, who had two called strikes before slicing a line drive just in front of diving Bader in left to give the Dodgers their second win in six games since the All-Star break.

Freeman’s heroics do nothing to heal the Dodgers where they are hurting most though, and that’s pitching. After losing three of his projected five starters in the season’s first two months, manager Dave Roberts has had to use everything short of masking tape to keep a rotation together. As a result, the Dodgers have used 16 starters this season and 37 pitchers overall.

And that makeshift rotation may be to blame for the bullpen troubles. Dodger starters have thrown a big-league low 467 2/3 innings this season, averaging less than five innings a start, while their exhausted relievers have pitched a major-league-leading 452 2/3 innings.

The rotation is getting healthier now that Glasnow, who has missed most of the season with an inflamed shoulder, could soon be rejoined in the rotation by two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, The left-hander, out since April 2 with shoulder inflammation, is scheduled to make his final minor-league rehab start Saturday.

Ohtani gave Glasnow an early lead Wednesday with a solo home run in the first inning. It was his fifth straight game with a home run, a career high that equaled the franchise record, and it gave 37 for the season. The run was his 96th of the year, best in the majors.

Shohei Ohtani flips the bat after hitting a 441-foot home run to left-center in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins.
Shohei Ohtani flips the bat after hitting a 441-foot home run to left-center in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Royce Lewis got that run back for the Twins in the third, leading off with his fifth home run of the season just inside the left-field foul pole. It stayed that way until the seventh, when Tommy Edman looped a single over a drawn-in infield, putting the Dodgers back in front.

Roberts isn’t ready to blame the bullpen’s recent struggles entirely on the heavy workload. But he’s not excusing it either.

“That's how the season goes,” he said. “It's easy to look at that in totality. I do know that, we're what we're dealing with, we have to kind of weather it.”

In the last two days, the Dodgers have seen left-hander reliever Tanner Scott go on the injured list with elbow inflammation and watched right-hander Ben Casparius limp off the mound with a right calf cramp, joining 11 pitchers already on the sidelines.

Casparius underwent an MRI exam, which was negative, and he is expected to be available during the team’s nine-game road trip, which begins Friday in Boston. But Casparius acknowledged Wednesday that the bullpen’s recent struggles led him to try to pitch through the soreness, likely making the injury worse.

“Going through the back of my mind [was] kind of gutting it out,” he said. “I think you can look at it a bunch of different ways, but I'm not necessarily sure I put the team the best spot.”

Read more:Dodgers put Tanner Scott on IL, but hopeful he returns this season

Casparius said the pitchers in the Dodger bullpen, who haven’t had a scoreless game since July 3, have struggled collectively and will have to work collectively to get back on track.

“Momentum is everything,” he said. “We're kind of going through our tough patch right now and hopefully it's the worst it's going to be. We’ve got some guys coming back. Maybe getting on the road and being uncomfortable might help us out a little bit in a weird way too.

“It's a tough part of the year. Everybody around the league is going through this type of stuff. I think we're going to turn a corner.”

Notes: Reliever Blake Treinen was scheduled to make back-to-back appearances for Triple A Oklahoma City on Wednesday and Thursday and if things go well, he could rejoin the Dodgers on the road trip. Treinen went on the injured list April 19 with forearm tightness. ... Third baseman Max Muncy is scheduled to face live pitching at the Dodgers’ Arizona complex on Thursday and could begin a minor-league rehab assignment next week, far sooner than expected. Muncy was the Dodgers’ hottest hitter when he sustained a bone bruise in his left knee three weeks ago. It was anticipated he would miss a month and half.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Shohei Ohtani homers in fifth consecutive game, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani homered for the fifth consecutive game on Wednesday, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record.

Yankees star Aaron Judge was the last player to homer in five consecutive games, accomplishing that feat last year.

Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs, homered in the first inning off Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack. He hit a slow curveball 441 feet to center. He carried the bat midway down the first-base line and then did a bat flip.

This is the seventh time in Dodgers history that a player has homered in five consecutive games. Ohtani joins Max Muncy, Joc Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, Shawn Green and Roy Campanella in that club.

Ohtani, a three-time MVP, is batting .276 with 70 RBIs. He’s also pitched well in six games and is scheduled to throw four innings on Monday in Cincinnati as he is getting close in his buildup as a starter, coming back from his second right UCL repair surgery.

With an off day on Thursday, Ohtani's next chance to see if he can homer in six consecutive games will be against the Red Sox in Boston.

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Levi On NHL.com’s Top-10 Young Goalie’s List

After winning consecutive Mike Richter Awards as the NCAA’s top goaltender, signing with the Buffalo Sabres, and going 5-2-0 at the end of the 2022-23 season, the expectations  Devon Levi were extremely high. Since then, the 23-year-old netminder has not been able to repeat his success at the NHL level,  but has been one of the best goalies in the American Hockey League. 

In NHL.com’s list of the Top-10 goalies under the age of 25, Levi was ranked eighth. 2025 Calder Trophy nominee Dustin Wolf was the top ranked on the list, followed by Spencer Knight of the Chicago Blackhawks, Yaroslav Askarov of the San Jose Sharks, and Leevi Meriklainen of the Ottawa Senators.  

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Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

While any ranking is subjective, the concern for the Sabres has to be that the perception of Levi’s progress is that it is not as positive as other goalies, who are still in college or just entered their pro careers. Montreal’s Jacob Fowler – who played two years at Boston College before playing for Laval during the AHL regular season and Calder Cup Playoffs, and Detroit prospect Trey Augustine –, a two-time World Junior gold medalist who plays for Michigan State, are considered better prospects. Jett Greaves of the Columbus Blue Jackets was ranked just ahead of Levi, with Minnesota’s Jesper Wallstedt, and Pittsburgh’s Joel Blomqvist finishing up the Top 10. 

Levi is a restricted free agent, but was not eligible for arbitration or an offer sheet, leaving the young goalie in a situation with little leverage. With the signing of veteran Alex Lyon earlier this month, the Sabres will have an open competition, but the 23-year-old’s waiver exempt status makes it likely that Levi starts next eason in Rochester unless he impresses at training camp.  

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