ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Luke Maile #17 of the Kansas City Royals at bat during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 24, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals have made a lot of transactions today, which could be exciting for fans hoping for a shakeup, but they’re mostly internal to the team.
The first announced move was to reinstate Stephen Kolek to the 26-man roster from the Family Medical Emergency List. In a corresponding move, Jose Cuas was optioned back to Omaha. Cuas pitched two innings last night in his season debut, and while he did allow a run, he also struck out three. So hopefully we’ll see him get more chances going forward.
Then, shortly before the game, the Royals announced that they had selected Luke Maile’s contract from Omaha and added him to the major league team. To accommodate his addition to the 40-man and 26-man rosters, John Rave was demoted back to Omaha and Eric Cerantola was designated for assignment.
Personally, despite Cerantola’s unsightly big league performances so far – 10 walks and a 10.13 ERA in 5.1 innings – I would have preferred to keep him around over Mitch Spence. At least Cerantola could also get a strikeout on occasion. I also probably would have demoted Tyler Tolbert or Kameron Misner over John Rave. Rave hasn’t actually made any boneheaded plays at the big league level so far this year, which is more than I can say for the other two, and I’m still very fascinated to see where his revamped swing could take him. But the Royals didn’t agree.
Considering Salvador Perez is also not in tonight’s starting lineup, we can add 2 + 2 and get 4. Salvy is probably hurting again. So the best move probably would have been to go ahead and put him on the IL so they could have a full, healthy bench. But the Royals would prefer to demote Rave to Omaha rather than put the aging catcher on the IL, which is what it’s there for. The IL has not stopped being lava, I guess.
Oh, and the Royals made one other under-the-radar move. It didn’t even get announced on their main social channels:
Royals fans from the last few years before Dayton Moore was fired will remember this move. The “add a guy we used to like a few years ago because we desperately need someone to pitch and heaven knows we don’t want to try anyone new!“ special. No guarantees that Barlow will make it back to the bigs with KC, but considering the bullpen carousel we’ve been on all year, I wouldn’t bet against it, either.
Finally, we got this tidbit from Anne Rogers:
Cole Ragans underwent a UCL repair on his left elbow yesterday. That was what the #Royals had feared but ultimately expected, and now they’re looking at getting Ragans back midseason next year.
Based on the timeline, it’s possible Cole Ragans underwent the internal brace procedure rather than a third Tommy John surgery, but it’s a pretty brutal blow to lose him for not just the remainder of this season, but at least midway into next year, too. It would seem to make it even less likely that they trade either Michael Wacha or Seth Lugo at this deadline, even if they’re currently the only guys with trade value that it would make any sense for the Royals to part with.
Feb 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) grimaces as he waits for play to resume against the Golden State Warriors in the third period at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Welcome to day three of the LeBron James sweepstakes. Today, we gained new insight into the short list of teams jockeying for the King. Once again, this news benefits the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Golden State Warriors reportedly do not feel they are at the top of LeBron’s short list, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
“I’m hearing a growing belief from them that they don’t believe that they’re necessarily at the top of that short list,” Slater said on ESPN.
Golden State emerged as a potential landing destination for James earlier this week. James has formed a close relationship with Draymond Green over recent years and has openly praised Stephen Curry numerous times.
The idea of rivals becoming teammates is a sour one for many fans. But ending his career with a grand finale next to Curry is something that James is apparently considering.
The Warriors took the first step towards acquiring James when Green opted out of his contract. This paved the way for Golden State to make additions to the roster and potentially offer LBJ more money. Thus far, this hasn’t proven to be enough.
This begs the question: if Golden State isn’t first, who is?
The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers are the other two teams reported to be on James’ short list. Though teams like the Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Minnesota Timberwolves have been mentioned in passing by various outlets.
Truth is, no one can predict what James will do. But using all of the information at our disposal, I can’t imagine Cleveland isn’t at the front of the race.
Cleveland is the only city where LeBron can still be King even if he isn't the best player on the roster
The Cavs offer more than any other team. Cleveland is the only city where James can compete for a title as a supporting player while still being the King. He’ll reign supreme in Cleveland even if James Harden, Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell play larger roles. That’s something James can’t get in Golden State or Miami.
All of the boxes are checked in this scenario. James would be in a city where he is beloved. He’d be joining a team that is missing his expertise more than anything else. There’s even a Swenson’s in Rocket Arena. I can’t imagine this doesn’t entice LBJ.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Sean Murphy #12 of the Atlanta Braves bats in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re just under an hour away from first pitch at Truist Park and there’s going to be a bit of a new look both on the mound and out in the field for the third game of this series between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals. Hurston Waldrep is set to make his first start of the season and Jim Jarvis is in the lineup and starting at shortstop for Atlanta.
Walt Weiss spoke with the media ahead of tonight’s contest and as you can imagine, those two aforementioned players were certainly the topic of conversation and people of interest in the run-up to Thursday night’s game.
On Hurston Waldrep ahead of tonight’s start
Walt Weiss told the media that he’s expecting something like 70-to-around-80-or-so pitches from Waldrep tonight. He described his expectations as “hopefully similar to what we got last night from [Reynaldo López].” López threw 69 pitches and tossed five innings with the Cardinals scoring their lone run of the night in the first inning. Anything similar to that would be greatly appreciated and Weiss said that he’s really “looking forward to it. [Waldrep] was dominant at times last year…it’s good to have him back in the mix here.
On having Jim Jarvis back in the lineup
“A baseball-y player, to use a common term,” is how Walt Weiss described having Jim Jarvis in the fold. “He’s got a good bat. He’s a little different from all the other players in the lineup to where he wants to go deep into counts and draw walks.”
Weiss continued to discuss how he was looking forward to utilizing his starting shortstop for the rubber match against the Cardinals by going into his versatility. “He can hit too,” continued Weiss. He’s having a nice year at Triple-A. He defends well and he’s got a good arm. He runs pretty well. It’s nice having another left-handed bat against a tough righty like [Cardinals starter] Dustin May. It’s nice to have that option as a left-handed option. The shortstop thing will be day-to-day but he’s nice to have.”
When asked about whether or not Jim Jarvis could be deployed in a platoon-type situation, Walt Weiss mentioned that it’s possible but was ultimately non-committal and preferred to keep his options open in that regard. “I’ll look into the numbers and go from there but other than that, he can play other spots in the infield and spell some other guys against right-handers. It gives us a bit more flexibility,” answered Weiss.
On long-relief options
“I think we’re covered,” said Weiss when he was asked about the multi-inning relief options out of the bullpen ahead of Thursday’s game against the Cardinals. “[Ian] Hamitlon and [James] Karinchak have both gone multiple innings in Triple-A, so they’re capable of doing that. I think we’re covered, yeah.”
On Sean Murphy’s status
It’s been around eight weeks now for the Braves when it comes to haing Sean Murphy on the shelf. Friend of the site Grant McAuley asked Weiss about whether or not Murphy was getting close to a rehab stint and Weiss seemed to indicate that any rehab stint wouldn’t exactly be imminent at the moment.
“I’m not exactly sure when he’s going out on rehab,” said Weiss. “I don’t want to speculate. He’s starting to progress and do some baseball things but I’m not sure exactly when that rehab clock will start.”
Apr 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick (10) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher James McCann (8) looks on at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are back on the road this weekend, as they’ll head to the desert to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks for three games beginning Friday evening. The Brewers, fresh off a winning homestand against the Reds and Cubs, are about halfway through the biggest gauntlet of their season — they’ve played seven games in the last seven days, with 11 games in the next 10 days leading into the All-Star break. They still sit atop the NL Central, five games ahead of the second-place Cubs.
On the other side, the Diamondbacks had a disappointing month of June, going 12-15 as they’re now an even 43-43 on the season. They’re still in the wild card hunt but sit third in the NL West, 12.5 games behind the NL-leading Dodgers and just behind the Padres for second place.
Milwaukee’s IL currently includes RHP Carlos Rodriguez (late July return), RHP Logan Henderson (expected back next week), RHP Coleman Crow (July), LHP DL Hall (late July), LHP Rob Zastryzny (early July), LHP Brian Fitzpatrick (TBD), RHP Quinn Priester (2027), and LHP Angel Zerpa (early to mid-2027). Outfielder Brandon Lockridge is the lone position player on the shelf, and he’s currently looking at a late July return.
For the Diamondbacks, they’re currently without catcher James McCann (expected back next week), RHP Michael Soroka (post-All-Star break), OF Jordan Lawlar (late July/August), RHP Ryne Nelson (September), RHP Justin Martinez (second half), LHP A.J. Puk (TBD), RHP Corbin Burnes (September), RHP Cristian Mena (TBD), LHP Blake Walston (second half), and LHP Andrew Saalfrank (2027).
Jake Bauers leads the Brewers’ offense with 15 homers this season, while Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang have both added 12 homers. William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, David Hamilton, and Cooper Pratt are among the other regular contributors of late, while Gary Sánchez, Sal Frelick, Joey Ortiz, and Blake Perkins provide depth. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .254/.339/.396 (.734 OPS ranks 10th), with 79 homers (tied for 25th), 436 runs (fifth), and 83 steals (fifth).
Despite having a few big names like Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, Nolan Arenado, and Geraldo Perdomo, the D-backs haven’t been great offensively this year. Marte leads the team with 17 homers and 54 RBIs, while Carroll has 13 homers and a league-best 10 triples. Arenado has nine homers, and Ildemaro Vargas has cooled off considerably after a red-hot start. Gabriel Moreno, LuJames Groover, Max Kepler, Jorge Barrosa, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. round out the regulars for Arizona, with Pavin Smith, Adrian Del Castillo, and Tommy Troy serving as depth. As a team, the D-backs are hitting .238/.308/.386 (.694 OPS ranks tied for 26th), with 78 homers (tied for 28th), 367 runs (19th), and 54 steals (tied for 18th).
Aaron Ashby leads Milwaukee’s bullpen with a 3.16 ERA over 51 1/3 innings, and he also leads the league with a whopping 12 wins (to just one loss). Trevor Megill has been great after a shaky start to the season, and the same goes for Abner Uribe. Grant Anderson, Jared Koenig, and Chad Patrick provide valuable depth, and Joel Kuhnel and recent call-up Garrett Stallings round things out. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.36 team ERA (tied for first), including a 3.17 starter ERA (first) and a 3.60 bullpen ERA (seventh). They’ve struck out 842 batters (second) over 762 1/3 innings.
The D-backs have had a solid bullpen, at least in terms of high-leverage arms. Taylor Clarke, Juan Morillo, Jonathan Loáisiga, and Ryan Thompson all have 30-plus appearances with sub-3.00 ERAs. Paul Sewald has struggled in the closer role with a 4.50 ERA, though he’s still 19-for-20 in save opportunities. Brandyn Garcia has a 2.33 ERA over 19 1/3 inning, Kevin Ginkel has a 3.06 ERA over 32 1/3 innings, and Drey Jameson’s 4.76 ERA (over just 11 1/3 innings) is actually the worst of the current bullpen. As a staff, the D-backs have a 4.32 team ERA (20th), including a 4.42 starter ERA (18th) and a 4.23 bullpen ERA (17th). They’ve struck out 580 batters (30th) over 756 2/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, July 3 @ 8:45 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (8-1, 2.57 ERA, 3.03 FIP) vs. RHP JoséCabrera (0-1, 3.60 ERA, 5.21 FIP)
Harrison continues to make his All-Star case in his first season in Milwaukee. Across 15 starts this year, he’s 8-1 with a 2.57 ERA, 3.03 FIP, and 96 strikeouts over 77 frames. He took a no-decision in his last outing as the bullpen wasn’t able to help him out. Over five frames against the Cubs, he allowed two runs on three hits and a walk, striking out nine on 92 pitches. Harrison made four appearances (three starts) against the D-backs as a Giant, going 0-2 with an 8.56 ERA and 13 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings.
Cabrera, 24, is a rookie who has made just two starts in the majors thus far. Signed out of the Dominican Republic back in 2021, he’s 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA, 5.21 FIP, and seven strikeouts over 10 innings to begin his career, pitching in a pair of losses to the Twins and Rays. This obviously marks Cabrera’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.
Saturday, July 4 @ 8:40 p.m.: RHP Brandon Woodruff (2-1, 2.59 ERA, 3.11 FIP) vs. RHP Merrill Kelly (5-8, 5.84 ERA, 6.11 FIP)
Woodruff, who has had trouble staying on the field over the last few seasons, has looked fantastic in two starts since returning from his latest IL stint. Over 11 2/3 total innings against the Reds and Cubs, he allowed no runs on two hits and two walks, striking out 16. For the season, he’s 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA, 3.11 FIP, and 41 strikeouts over 41 2/3 innings. Woodruff has made nine career appearances (eight starts) against the D-backs, going 3-1 with a 4.65 ERA and 51 strikeouts across 40 2/3 innings.
Kelly, 37, does not look like the average pitcher he was in the last several seasons. In his eighth season in the majors, he has a career-worst 5.84 ERA and 6.11 FIP this year, with just 47 strikeouts over 81 2/3 innings through 14 starts. It’s really been a case of three seasons for Kelly. Here are his splits by month (he missed the first few weeks of the season due to injury):
Let’s hope we see April/June Kelly and not May Kelly. He did get a start against the Brewers back in April, going five innings with five runs allowed and just one strikeout. For his career, he’s made 11 starts, going 5-3 with a 3.41 ERA and 61 strikeouts over 66 innings.
Despite his rough season-long numbers, Sproat has looked a lot better over his last several outings, including a pair of starts against the Reds in his last two appearances. In those games, he totaled 11 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out 17 to pick up a pair of wins. Sproat started against the D-backs (and Rodriguez) back in late April of this year, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out five over 4 1/3 innings in a loss.
Rodriguez, 33, is an 11-year veteran who is quietly turning in a great season. Despite a FIP of 3.98, he has a much better 2.21 ERA, with a 7-2 record and 71 strikeouts over 102 innings through 17 starts. He’s been especially good of late, allowing just two runs on 14 hits and six walks while striking out 11 over 20 2/3 innings in wins over the Angels, Cardinals, and Giants in his last three outings. As I mentioned above, Rodriguez faced off against Sproat and the Brewers back in April. He went 4 2/3 innings with two runs allowed on five hits and four walks, striking out four in that one. For his career, he’s 0-3 with a 4.44 ERA and 20 strikeouts over 24 1/3 innings in five starts against the Crew.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, July 3: Exclusively on Apple TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, July 4: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, July 5: Exclusively on Peacock/NBCSN Extra; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The D-backs have been less than great the last few weeks, while the Brewers have looked a lot better. Give me the Crew to take two of three in the desert.
The Winnipeg Jets continued to reshape their blueline on Thursday, agreeing to terms with 25-year-old defenceman Henry Thrun on a one-year, two-way deal worth $850K.
The left-shot blueliner arrives after spending last season in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, splitting time between the NHL and AHL following an offseason trade from the San Jose Sharks.
Photo by David Kirouac/USA Today
Originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round in 2019, Thrun has appeared in 119 career NHL games, recording five goals and 20 assists while averaging nearly 18 minutes per game during his time with San Jose.
While Wednesday evening's signee Mario Ferraro projects to fill a regular role on Winnipeg's third pairing, Thrun gives the Jets another young, mobile option capable of competing for NHL minutes while also providing valuable organizational depth.
Thrun enjoyed a standout college hockey career at Harvard, where he developed into one of the ECAC's top defencemen before signing his first NHL contract in 2023. Since turning pro, he has shown steady growth as a reliable two-way defender with good skating and strong hockey sense.
It is expected that Thrun will battle for that sixth/seventh defensive spot to start the season, but would more so be a relied upon back-end force with the Manitoba Moose - considering the two-way structure of his contract.
Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli and Boston Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras were each suspended seven games by Major League Baseball Thursday, July 2 for their actions that precipitated a bases-clearing incident in the teams' June 30 game.
Cavalli struck out Contreras in the bottom of the fourth inning, and as the Boston slugger returned to his dugout, Cavalli shouted, "Sit down, boy!" at Contreras. Contreras, already an emotional player who admittedly was even moreso after an earthquake devastated his home country of Venezuela, stopped in his tracks and asked if Cavalli said something.
The two began to jaw and Contreras approached the mound, at one point tossing his helmet in Cavalli's direction. Cavalli remained in the game, much to the chagrin of Boston interim manager Chad Tracy, while Contreras, Tracy and Red Sox reserve Nate Eaton were ejected. Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas, who pitched Monday, was also ejected.
Mikolas was suspended five games and Eaton received a three-game suspension. All four players are appealing their suspensions.
"I felt as though the comment made, ‘Sit down, boy,’ at the top of (Cavalli's) lungs was part of what caused that to happen,” says Tracy, who said he was ejected for protesting that Cavalli wasn't ejected. "I just felt like the other pitcher should have been one of them too. That was my biggest complaint there: 'Why is he still in the game?' That was my take on it."
Contreras was taken aback by Cavalli's remark, yet was unsure if there were racial overtones.
“I think it was more like the fact that he yelled whatever he said," says Contreras, 34, of the 27-year-old Cavalli. "Because, prior to that, I was talking to [Nationals catcher] Keibert Ruiz, you can go ask him, about how good Cavalli is. I was like, 'He has good stuff,' and then he struck me out on a good pitch. I was walking back to the dugout, then he did what he did. The rest of it was history."
As for any further intent, Contreras said: "To be honest, I don’t know. I'm Venezuelan. I don’t know if he’s racist or not. I’ll let MLB handle that."
Cavalli told reporters: "I don't know, I just lose my head in it. I mean, I'm competitive. I just told him to sit down, and then he asked if I was talking to him. I was just standing there, I said, ‘You heard me.’ It's really not a big deal. So that's it."
Cavalli and Contreras crossed paths after an earlier at-bat, with Cavalli noting that Contreras appeared to get in his way after he was walking off the mound. Contreras denied any intent.
Cade Cavalli and Paul Toboni spoke about the incident with Willson Contreras last night. Cavalli said there was no ill intention and he will eliminate “boy” from his vocabulary.
ST. LOUIS -- Mason McTavish is ready and eager for a fresh start.
The 23-year-old is getting one with the St. Louis Blues, who acquired the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft on the opening night of the 2026 draft from the Anaheim Ducks for a pair of 2026 first-round picks (Nos. 15 and 29).
McTavish, who was scratched twice by the Ducks in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights and had six points (one goal, five assists) in 10 postseason games, saw his numbers dip to 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 75 games under Joel Quenneville last season.
It came after signing a six-year, $42 million ($7 million average annual value) contract last off-season, so a trade was furthest from his mind then. But a year later, moving on brings the 6-foot-1, 219-pound center great motivation.
"Especially the last year, I wasn't happy with the way I performed and I know I have so much more than that," McTavish said Thursday. "Obviously a lot of motivation throughout the start of the summer and going forward. Obviously a lot of excitement with the trade. Definitely a lot of energy being exerted this summer trying to get as better as possible.
"I think my time in Anaheim, I went there when I was 18 and I enjoyed it. It as awesome. It's the right time for me to go to a new team and experience something new. I'm really looking forward to it and I'm really excited."
Yes, McTavish is anxious to start anew, with new teammates and new coaches, including one he's quite familiar with.
"It was my first time being traded in the NHL," McTavish, who joins former Ducks coach Greg Cronin, who was hired to be an assistant under Jim Montgomery, in St. Louis. "I think just a lot of excitement, a little bit of nervousness. But I think the biggest thing is you're just so excited to go to a new city, meet a bunch of new guys and live in a whole new city. I'm super grateful for the Blues kind of trusting me. I had a great time in Anaheim and it was awesome. I'm just excited to get down to St. Louis now.
"I think (Cronin) demands a lot out of his players and it's good. He can get on you. Sometimes you may not love it, but he's probably right. He'll push you to be the best player you can be. I'm excited to see him again. He's great. I'm looking forward to that."
With the addition of McTavish, defenseman Brandon Carlo (6-5, 227) and signing McTavish's Anaheim teammate, Ross Johnston (6-5, 232), the Blues are emphasizing adding muscle and grit to their lineup.
"We do want to be an uncomfortable team to play against," Blues general manager Alexander Steen said. "We want to have a certain identity to our team. What I like about where we're positioned now is the roster allows us to have an identity but also supplied the coaching staff different options game to game. We could have different looks but with the same identity, but we did want to build a little more of the physicality and size and I guess weight too."
McTavish's knack has been his challenges on the defensive side of the puck and skating, and it will be something the coaching staff will hone in working with him on, but an element the Blues lacked overall in was players' inability to consistently get to the front of the net and play with a purpose there.
Mason McTavish, acquired by STL, is a big developing forward with a solid net-front physical tool-kit but poor skating. Has some small-area skill including underrated playmaking, but has really struggled defensively and hasn't been able to make a big impact with the puck. pic.twitter.com/C26tqXaugl
"I think that's one of my elements I can bring," McTavish said. "I feel like that's such a key thing come playoff time. You look at where all the goals are scored and it's always around the net and that sort of thing. Every time you can get to the net, you might as well go there because the puck's going to end up there. I think that's one of the things I'll bring for sure.
"... I personally bring a lot of competitiveness and hunger to win games. I would say I'm more of a skilled forward, likes to take the puck to the net. I think my hockey sense is the best thing about my game, just kind of knowing where people are and what reads to kind of make, especially in the offensive zone."
Even at such a young age, McTavish has already played four full seasons and nine games when he first played in the NHL in 2021-22; he has 181 points (77 goals, 101 assists) in 304 games but the growth is still in front of him.
"When you step in at such a young age, it's interesting, but I feel like every year, no matter how old you are, I think there's always areas you can get better at," McTavish said. "I think that you really see it when they're younger, but there's always places where players can improve on. There's that core, a bunch of guys 22-26. I'm looking forward to practicing with those guys and I know how hungry they'll all be to get better and work on their game."
And he's joining a group that's focused on the early-to-mid-20s range.
"It's a great team," McTavish said of the Blues, who have missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons. "I can speak on whenever we played them in St. Louis or in Anaheim. They played us really hard, they did really well. They have a lot of young, kind of that core. It's very skilled, very fast. They play well defensively and they're up and down the ice and they play really hard. I'm excited to kind of meet them all. I've met Jake Neighbours. Obviously I played with him in the World Juniors, but I've heard it's a great group.
"... I'm beyond grateful for my time in Anaheim. It was awesome. I have no complaints about it. It's a great organization. I've heard the same things about St. Louis. I'm super-excited, super lucky to be going to St. Louis. A lot of the guys have reached out. Obviously doing that speaks to how good of a group it is. I'm very, very excited. I feel like I've used that word a lot, but I truly am excited to be going into a new opportunity at this time in my life. I'm really looking forward to it."
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 02: Jose Trevino #35 of the Cincinnati Reds is congratulated after hitting a three run homer in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Maybe all it takes for the Cincinnati Reds to morph back into playing good baseball is to face the absolute best, hardest-throwing arms in the game.
Just days after thumping Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the Reds took aim at Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski on Thursday afternoon in the series finale, and their aim was pretty perfect. Sal Stewart homered off the game’s hardest thrower in the Top of the 1st to set the tone, and Jose Trevino later added a 3-run blast down the left-field line to give Cincinnati’s own ace Chase Burns a 5-0 lead that he would not relinquish.
Cincinnati scraped out an eventual 7-2 win, beating the Brewers for the first time in seven chances so far in this disappointing 2026 season. Burns, whose down velocity had him only sitting 95-97 on the day, still battled his way through 6.0 IP of 2 ER ball, and the much maligned bullpen managed to hold things down completely after that to secure the win and avoid yet another sweep.
The win moved the Reds to 40-46 on the season, still miles away from any relevance in the Central and still buried in the crowded wild card standings despite the superexpanded megaplayoff format championed by Rob Manfred. That said, they did get a resurgent performance from the recalled TJ Friedl, finally, as he homered as part of a 2-hit, 2-RBI afternoon, and now they will return home for a two-series homestand where ace Hunter Greene will make his much anticipated return to the club.
So, there’s the slightest hint of optimism, I’d say. At least, there’s a lot more after today’s game than there was just 16 or so hours ago, as the Reds finally, mercifully got the Brewers monkey off their backs for a day.
Davis Martin takes the mound looking to keep the White Sox on top of the division. | (Getty Images)
Between the White Sox losing and the Guardians winning yesterday, the division rivals sit atop the AL Central, with the Guardians just one game back in second place. The White Sox did win their first road series since May 3, but they will also need to win at least three of the four games in this series, not only to remain in first place, but also to convince me they’re improving on the road.
Davis Martin (9-3) will be on the mound tonight. Martin has been consistent, bringing his ERA back down to 3.00 entering this series in Cleveland. Kyle Teel will be behind the plate, and Andrew Benintendi will serve as the designated hitter. The rest of the lineup is what we’re used to seeing.
Slade Cecconi will be the starter for Cleveland. Cecconi, who is 4-6 with a 4.08 ERA, has only given up 12 earned runs on 35 hits in his last seven games. He doesn’t issue many walks and features a fastball-heavy approach. As for the lineup, Sports Info Solutions just named Brayan Rocchio Defensive Player of the Month, so perhaps it would be wise not to hit the ball to him. Chase DeLauter is also having a good season with a respectable .462/.500/.615 slash line over his past seven games.
First pitch will be at 5:40 p.m. CT. You can watch the game on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000.
Since last week’s NHL Draft, the New York Rangers have made a flurry of moves to “retool” the roster and set the foundation for what the future will ultimately look like.
When president and general manager Chris Drury issued a letter to fans in January outlining the team’s plan to “retool” the roster, the exact direction Drury was looking to go in remained a mystery.
The last time Rangers management released a letter to fans in 2018, they embarked on a multi-year rebuild, missing the playoffs over consecutive seasons while methodically rebuilding the roster by accumulating picks and prospects.
However, this past week has shown that Drury is not following the same formula from the previous regime.
Drury made his biggest splash on the night of the draft, acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for the 26th-and 92nd-overall picks in the 2026 draft and a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2028.
The Rangers then went ahead and signed Dorofeyev to a seven-year, $77 million contract extension.
Dorofeyev, a 25-year-old forward coming off two 30-plus goal seasons, fits Drury’s ideal acquisition in a younger player who can help the team in the immediate future, while also being a foundational piece moving forward.
“We're excited to obviously add Pav,” Drury said. “His unique skill set, and his production, specifically in goals, is something that we were in need of, and targeted him, and we're thrilled to be able to pull off a trade with Vegas... We're excited to use the assets we had to move for Pav and thrilled to be able to pull the deal off, and then to be able to sign into a long-term contract.”
Drury also made his intentions clear when he drafted defenseman Alberts Šmits with the fifth overall pick instead of defenseman Chase Reid.
The Rangers chose to select Šmits, the blueliner many tout to be the most NHL-ready in the 2026 draft class as opposed to Reid, the blueliner considered to have the highest upside, proving Drury’s preference of adding younger pieces who are further along in their development and can contribute to the organization in the immediate future, whether that’s at the NHL level or the American hockey League level.
Šmits attended Rangers’ development camp and will be training in New York at the end of the summer, but Drury kept things open-ended regarding if he’ll be on the opening-night roster out of training camp.
“We're gonna do right by him and the long-term health and well-being of him as a Ranger,” Drury said of Šmits. “This is not a sprint for him. We hope he's a rock-solid defenseman for the Rangers for the next 15 years. We're not going to put him in positions or situations that he can't handle. So excited to add him, but again, not going to do anything that's not in the best interest long term for him.”
Once the free agency period opened up, Drury added players who filled in some of their current roster holes, acquiring veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Marcus Pettersson, while signing forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno to one-year contracts, respectively.
Wednesday’s most substantial move from the Rangers came in the form of a Vincent Trocheck trade to the Utah Mammoth.
It was long rumored that Trocheck would be on his way out of New York, but Drury decided to keep the veteran forward past the trade deadline and for the remainder of the 2025-26 season with the hope that he would garner a stronger return during the offseason.
In return from Utah in exchange for Trocheck, the Rangers received Sean Durzi, Cole Beaudoin, and a 2027 third-round pick.
Drury’s preferences were shown once again in this Trocheck package, as instead of going after high-quality draft picks, the Rangers targeted Durzi, a defenseman who can play a top-four role for the team right now, and Beaudoin, a forward prospect who is ready to make the professional hockey jump.
Targeting NHL-ready players and further-developed prospects over high-valued draft picks has been a common theme of Drury’s retool thus far. The Rangers received 2024 first-round pick, Liam Greentree, from the Los Angeles Kings in February in exchange for Artemi Panarin, and followed suit, adding Beaudoin, another 2024 first-round pick.
“We were also able to acquire at the deadline a first-round pick that's closer to playing and turning pro this year in (Liam) Greentree, and a little later pick in (Jacob) Battaglia, and obviously Cole (Beaudoin) yesterday was a former first-round pick, so we felt like we plugged some holes with not only real players to put on our roster that can play in key roles, but also added some some other picks and actual draft picks and an actual prospects in those players I mentioned,” Drury said.
The Rangers have also given up three first-round picks between the two trades involving Dorofeyev and Pettersson, which sends mixed signals for a team supposedly looking to get younger.
Drury explained his rationale for giving up multiple first-round picks, explaining that he feels it’s worth it to lose some draft capital in order to add young, foundational pieces for the franchise.
“My philosophy, and our philosophy was, if they're for the right player or players that are at the right age with the right contract, that can help our lineup — not just in the next year or two, but for a number of years down the road — that would be worth it,” Drury said about his reasoning of giving up three first-round picks.
There’s been more clarity on the word “retool” written by Drury in his January letter, as all of the moves he’s executed from the middle stages of the 2025-26 season to this week revolve around the same vision and idea.
“Nearly six months ago, we wrote a letter to our fans detailing a new strategic plan for the organization,” Drury stated. “This plan is to retool the roster around our core players and prospects, while targeting young players in their prime that enhance the skill and speed of the team.”
By exact definition, Drury fulfilled his retooling plan, getting younger as a team, adding more professional ready prospects to their pipeline, while also filling in immediate roster holes to help the Blueshirts remain afloat in a competitive Eastern Conference.
Whether Drury’s retooling plan was the right solution for the Rangers’ long-term future as well as this upcoming season, that is yet to be seen.
Even with this onslaught of trades and signings, there are still questions about the team’s present and future that hang over the franchise.
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Paul Gervase (65) follows through on a pitch during the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
For the third day in a row, the Dodgers have called up a new pitcher from Triple-A Oklahoma City. On Thursday, Paul Gervase joins the Dodgers in Los Angeles before the start of a four-game weekend series against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.
Charlie Barnes was the fresh arm on Wednesday, covering the final seven innings in a loss to the A’s in West Sacramento. Barnes, who has been starting in Oklahoma City, followed an opener on Wednesday and allowed seven runs, a classic “take one for the team” outing in which a pitcher soaks up innings to rest most of the bullpen. Wednesday was the sixth game of a 13-day stretch for the Dodgers, and a rotation shuffle moved Shohei Ohtani from Wednesday to start on the mound Friday against the Padres.
Gervase had a classic “take one for the team” outing on May 9, pitching the final three innings of a loss to the Atlanta Braves, a major league career high in innings for the 6’10 right-hander, and one out shy of his professional career high. He was optioned the next day.
Gervase with Oklahoma City this season has a 3.60 ERA and two saves in 19 appearances, with 35 strikeouts and 18 walks in 25 innings. In two games with the Dodgers, Gervase allowed one run in five innings with five strikeouts.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 01: Relief pitcher Winston Santos #47 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the seventh inning of his major league debut against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have purchased the contract of righthanded relief pitcher Ben Peoples from AAA Round Rock, the team announced today. To make room for Peoples on the active roster, the Rangers have optioned righthanded pitcher Winston Santos to AAA Round Rock. With Peoples being added, the Rangers’ 40 man roster now stands at 39.
Peoples was acquired from the Chicago White Sox earlier this week in exchange for A ball catcher Ben Hartl. Peoples, 25, was a 22nd round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019. The Rays traded him to the White Sox last summer as part of the package for Adrian Houser.
Peoples was a starter until last season, when he started working exclusively out of the bullpen. In 37 innings over 29 appearances in AAA this year, he has a 2.39 ERA with 45 Ks against 21 walks. He will presumably be part of the middle relief mix for the Rangers.
We still haven’t heard from Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens on why the organization was so motivated to trade superstar Jaylen Brown. But on Thursday night, Brown shared his side of the story on his Twitch live stream.
Nearly 30,000 concurrent viewers watched as Brown addressed the shocking deal that sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round picks. Unsurprisingly, Brown didn’t mince words as he spoke on the trade, the Celtics’ handling of the situation, and some of the media narratives that formed during the process.
Here’s everything you need to know from Brown’s candid stream:
“Boston packed me up”
Brown opened his stream by saying, “Boston packed me up, chat.” The 2024 NBA Finals MVP made that statement several times throughout the stream.
“You gotta smile at it. They packed me up. Sayonara buddy,” he said at one point.
“He suddenly thinks he’s the smartest guy in every room he’s in,” Cowherd said. “I’ve worked with people in the media. You get into a really bad space and you make a lot of money. Suddenly, you’re absolutely sure. You don’t wanna listen to your bosses. You don’t wanna listen to consultants. You don’t wanna listen to teammates.
“One executive told me this was always a little bit of Jaylen Brown’s personality: the smartest guy in the room. Live streaming, throwing it out there, and it’s just not a good space.”
Brown responded by saying it’s time to stop with the anonymous sources.
“I think the world craves authenticity… people wanna see what the real emotions is,” he said.
‘I’m tired of these damn anonymous sources, like, anonymous executive — Colin Cowherd, Bobby Marks, Stephen A. Smith — I think y’all are the sources.”
“Colin Cowherd…. his last name precedes him,” Brown added.
What happened with Celtics?
Brown isn’t sure exactly where things went wrong between him and the Celtics.
“There’s definitely more to it. I just wish the more to it could have been explained to me,” he said on the stream.
“At one point I felt it was fine, but then it went left … I wish they had the respect to tell me exactly what it was … but it didn’t go down like that. It wasn’t facilitated like that. That was the most disappointing part. I thought I earned respect.”
Brown “wasn’t thrilled” with how Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens communicated with him about the situation.
Brown added that some of the young guys on the C’s reached out to him.
“The guys that I was able to build with … Neemi, (Neemias Queta), Luka (Garza), told me it was a pleasure to build with you. That’s the stuff that gives you more motivation to keep going. …
Looking forward to Philly
Brown admitted it’ll take time to get used to being a 76er, but he’s looking forward to “the process.”
“For the last 10 years, I’ve been programmed to hate Philadelphia, from the history of the rivalry to the playoff battles, the process, like I’ve been programmed to be like f— the process. It’s funny now, I gotta reverse-engineer it, but I’ll be ready when the season starts.”
“I don’t want no special treatment, I don’t need no handouts,” he added. “I plan on earning my respect one day at a time by putting in the work. I’m looking forward to getting in the gym, the whole process. “
While he’s left confused about how everything went down, it sounds like Brown will embrace the villain role in Philadelphia.
“The process is back the f— on. We’ve been shutting the process down for the last I don’t know how many years. The process been over. But now the process is back, motherf—–.”
Toward the end of his stream, Brown spoke on the phone with new teammates VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey.
Now that July 1 has passed, many of the NHL's top unrestricted free agents this year have found their new homes. While this is the case, there are still some interesting names who remain unsigned on the second day of free agency.
Yet, the top UFA still available for the taking is former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Anthony Mantha.
While Mantha is still on the market, it is very likely that he has generated a good amount of interest from teams. The 31-year-old winger just had a fantastic 2025-26 season with the Penguins, where he set career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points in 81 games.
Teams looking for more offense in their top nine should be in the mix for Mantha as he continues to be on the market. It would not be surprising if he lands his next contract soon now that he is the top UFA still on the board.
It will be interesting to see where Mantha ends up signing this off-season. He certainly was a great value signing for the Penguins on his one-year prove-it deal with the Metropolitan Division club.
In 588 career NHL games split between the Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames, and Penguins, Mantha recorded 179 goals, 188 assists, and 367 points.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 7:Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 7, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s no secret that Lakers head coach JJ Redick has a great basketball mind. His desire to share his knowledge and put it to use is what made him a great podcaster and an effective coach for the Lakers.
Thanks to his desire to teach and his relative youth, he’s well connected with players and can relate to them better than most head coaches.
When Grimes did a podcast appearance on “The Young Man and the Three,” he discussed how he worked out with Redick earlier in his career.
Great story. Whenever JJ was doing the pod, Quentin Grimes randomly dm'd him to see if he'd workout w him. So Q traveled out to the Hamptons and stayed in JJ's guest house to make it happen. pic.twitter.com/bk2bYyak8a
Someone as hyper-focused on being a basketball sicko as Redick is wouldn’t waste his free time on someone who didn’t match his energy.
If Redick was willing to work out with Grimes on multiple occasions and also let him stay at his guest house, clearly he is fond of his game and the person he is. Based on his comments on the time he’s spent with Redick, Grimes seems to be a fan of his as well.
Team and league sources have long known JJ Redick to be a fan of Grimes, who was a priority target this summer.
Based on their past relationship, it seems a safe bet that both Grimes and Redick will be working in tandem to ensure this is a career year for Grimes.
He averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game last season. Grimes also shot 33.4% from 3-point range.
The best year of his career so far was his 2024-25 NBA season when he was briefly teammates with Luka Dončić in Dallas. He averaged 14.6 points and shot 38.5% from deep while playing with the Mavericks and the Sixers that year.
Given their history, Grimes’ familiarity with Redick, and the Lakers’ need for him to be a great scoring guard, the environment seems primed for good results.
