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Francisco Alvarez shows off hard work he's put in with successful Mets return

Monday wasn't just a return to the majors for Francisco Alvarez; it was a culmination of hard work and a good attitude by the Mets catcher that the organization and fans have grown accustomed to seeing during his young career.

So, before his first at-bat with New York after he spent a month in Triple-A diligently working on all the things that the team asked him to do, the fans showed their continued appreciation and support of the 23-year-old by giving him a standing ovation.

Not only was it deserved after the work he put in down in the minors (with the results to match), the love from the crowd served as a reminder to Alvarez that they've got his back no matter what.

"It felt really good just because of all the struggles that I’ve had earlier in the season and the way that they’ve kept supporting me and the way they received me today, through all the hard work that I’ve been putting in, it felt really special to me to be able to get that reception from the fans," Alvarez said through a translator. "I’m super appreciative of all the fans here."

Even manager Carlos Mendoza could feel the love from the dugout and thanked Mets fans for the gesture.

"From the very beginning, it was really special for us to see the reception from the fan base," the skipper said after the game. "I didn’t even think anything until he’s walking towards the plate and everybody’s on their feet. Like, shoutout to the fans today because that was special. I feel like he felt it, it meant something for him, it meant something for all of us in the dugout, so that was just the very beginning there."

Alvarez went on to have a nice game and was an important part of the Mets' come-from-behind 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

It started with his defense, which had become a problem this season, especially in blocking. Put right to the test with Kodai Senga and his dastardly ghost fork on the mound, Alvarez picked a few balls in the dirt on a night that Senga also didn't have his usual control on some of his other pitches.

With Senga done after just three innings, it was obvious New York would need to use a few relievers to finish out the game. The first of those relievers was Kevin Herget, who was making just his third appearance this season.

Herget, with the help of Alvarez, pitched 2.1 scoreless innings to keep the Mets in the game. In fact, the five relievers out of New York's bullpen pitched six innings and allowed just one run, allowing the Mets to stage their comeback. At the heart of it all was Alvarez, who added a caught stealing and had a nice tag on an out at home plate.

Meanwhile, after hitting 11 home runs for Syracuse, Alvarez showed off a much calmer approach at the plate. He walked twice and then had a huge double in the eighth inning that led to the winning run.

Mendoza noticed it all, offensively and defensively, and was proud of how the catcher handled it, particularly after such a long absence from the team.

"Just watching him the whole game, the takes, couple of walks, and then for him to drive the ball like that against a righty, that’s a really good sign," Mendoza said. "Kind of like what we’ve been seeing the past two weeks or so. But it’s just the confidence that you can see it in the box… and it’s just knowing that he’s in control of the at-bat so it was really good to see."

"It feels good and it’s super important, especially because we got the win," Alvarez said about his overall game. "Had we lost this game, and I would’ve hit that double and I would’ve thrown out the runner, it wouldn’t have felt the same. We’re here for the reason of winning, that’s the most important thing for all of us and I think that’s why it was so special to have success on both sides."

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'Confident player' Brett Baty continues to make winning plays for Mets

The goal of every big league ball player is to make the impact plays that help the team win. If that comes at the plate or in the field, everyone wants to be the guy who makes things happen when it matters.

Brett Baty had the rare treat of doing both in the Mets’ 7-5 win on Monday night, overturning a 4-0 deficit against the Los Angeles Angels. 

“Just trying to have quality at-bats, hit the ball hard, and play good defense,” Baty said of his performance on both sides of the ball. “I feel like I’m in a good spot.”

His first big moment of the game came with two down in the home half of the fourth with Jeff McNeil on first and the Mets in a 4-0 hole. Facing lefty Tyler Anderson, Baty got ahead 2-0 with a good eye laying off a tough low-and-away slider. He then got a sinker that slid right into the happy zone and put the barrel on the ball to drive it 404 feet to right-center for a two-run home run, his 11th on the season and second of the current homestand.

Despite it being Baty’s first home run off a left-handed pitcher on the season, the lefty swinger said taking the southpaw deep didn’t mean anything extra. “Just trying to have quality at-bats,” he said after a quick shake of the head.

With one out in the top of the seventh and runners on the corners, after the Angels pushed their lead back to three runs, Baty leaped to field a Jo Adell chopper, collected himself, and threw home to easily nab Mike Trout at the plate. It wasn't that difficult of a play, but one his opposite number, Yoán Moncada, failed to make later in the game that saw Baty score the game-winning run.

“I thought they were both good,” Baty said of his homer and throw to the plate.

Was one more pivotal than the other? “No, I think without either one of those, then I don’t know if we win the game, so I think both of them were crucial for sure.”

Manager Carlos Mendoza feels like the young infielder is “getting to a point now where like every little thing that he does, he knows that it’s meaningful.”

“Good player that is having good results, offensively, defensively – not only at third, [but] at second base,” Mendoza said. “Just good to see him continue to develop here.”

In the last 13 games, Baty has been seeing the ball much better, with 11 hits in 35 at-bats (.314), including three home runs and five RBI. Asked if anything has changed, he just shook his head once more, "No, I'm just trying to be the best player I can be. Just trying to have quality at-bats, I feel like I did when I started the year, feel like I did when I was in spring training, so, just trying to be me.”

Mendoza called Baty a “confident player” who is getting results thanks in part to knowing that he’s going to be in the lineup each day.

“He continues to help us win baseball games,” Mendoza said, adding that at the big league level, “It’s all about winning here. And, a lot of times, when you come from the minor leagues, it takes some time” to adjust to making the winning play every time. 

"Like, ‘hey, man, it’s a team effort here,’” the skipper continued. “If you get a guy over, if you make a play, you [might be] 0-for-4, but you’re still contributing."

The one spot Baty may have just been a tick slow came on the basepaths in the eighth inning when Francisco Alvarez lined a double off the wall in right field with one out and the score tied. “I just wish I could have scored for him on that double,” Baty said of the catcher playing in his first game back in the big leagues after a stint at Triple-A.

Of course, Baty is being a bit harsh on himself. The ball only found the wall because Angels right fielder Chris Taylor misplayed the drive and likely should have come up with the catch. Baty got near second base before he started backtracking toward first as Taylor looked settled under the ball, but he still managed to speed around to third when the ball fell in.

When Baty crossed the plate after Moncada’s throw got past Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe one batter later, his baserunning ‘mistake’ was totally forgotten.

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'I'll Be Ready': Penguins' Mantha Sets Goal To Hit Ground Running In Training Camp

Oct 9, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Calgary Flames forward Anthony Mantha (39) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

In the summer of 2024, the Pittsburgh Penguins had, apparently, reached out to then-free agent forward Anthony Mantha.

“Last summer, when I was a free agent, they were scooping around,” Mantha said Monday to Pittsburgh reporters. “They offered something last summer. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite go that way.”

Well, fast forward one year later, and Kyle Dubas and the Penguins reached out once again. But, this time, everything fell into place. On Jul. 2, Mantha - the 20th overall pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2013 - agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.5 million deal, which came following a Nov. 5 ACL injury that ended his 2024-25 season with the Calgary Flames after just 13 games played.

It has been a long, long road to recovery for Mantha, and there is still a ways to go heading into training camp. But the 6-foot-5, 234-pound right winger has made it his goal to be ready for training camp and for the season - and he doesn’t plan on letting up.

“It feels great, but it’s been a long time,” Mantha said. “I should be ready for camp. That was my main goal when I did get surgery… I mean, it’s going to be almost 10 months post-op at the start of camp. So, I should be all set and running, and I’ll be ready. That’s the ultimate goal, and that’s exactly what I told [Pittsburgh] when we were talking to each other over the summer.”

And the decision to come to Pittsburgh is something that, kind of, fell into place for Mantha, who admits that his injury led to a pretty high degree of uncertainty heading into free agency this season. 

“For me, obviously, playing 13 games last year was, kind of, ‘Which team would give me a chance?’” Mantha said. “And, luckily enough, [Pittsburgh] came through and, I think, gave me a great opportunity and great deal from the start of free agency, and it was hard to look past them this year. 

“I’m just excited to join the Penguins, and like I said, after 13 games, I didn’t know what to expect over the summer. I focused a lot on myself and trying to prove that I’ll be ready for camp. Things went good, and here we are.”

Penguins Promising Forward Should Hit New LevelPenguins Promising Forward Should Hit New LevelDuring this past season, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Philip Tomasino from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Overall, this was a low-risk move for the Penguins, as they did not need to give up much for the young forward. 

Mantha mentioned something that drew him to Pittsburgh was the opportunity to learn from “four of the best players” in the NHL during the past decade-plus in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson. But it’s not the first time Mantha has suited up alongside all-time great veterans. 

From 2021-24, Mantha represented the Washington Capitals, where he had a chance to play alongside Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, and Tom Wilson. He pulled a lot from that experience, mentioning how much he looked up to them and how he took some of their experience and applied it to his own game. 

“I’m just excited to kind of do the same thing in [Pittsburgh],” Mantha said. “Yes, I’m 30 years old, but we live and we learn every year, and for me, that’s the biggest thing this year again.”

Mantha is also aware of the crossroads the Penguins’ organization finds itself in. The team is in the midst of a rebuild, having missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons. While he understands the situation, he also knows that the veterans in the room that the Penguins have had for the better part of two decades are still capable of turning the tide of a season.

“Just those four guys - they could switch an entire season around,” Mantha said. “So, yes, you’re talking rebuild in Pittsburgh, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be the case this year. It might be, it might not be, but again, for me, it’s to bring the best hockey that I can and to find some confidence and make things happen.”

And he may have some additional help regaining that confidence, as he does have another Penguins’ connection. Mantha was coached by new Penguins’ assistant Todd Nelson when their time overlapped with the Grand Rapids Griffins - Detroit’s AHL affiliate - from 2015-17, and he said Nelson helped propel his career in an upward trajectory.

“It’s the year he kind of pushed me forward,” Mantha said. “Took a good step forward, meaning, after that, I didn’t see him again in the American League. So, he helped me take that step and bring me to the NHL level.”

'It's A Nice Mix': New Penguins' Coaching Staff Ready To Focus On Development'It's A Nice Mix': New Penguins' Coaching Staff Ready To Focus On DevelopmentIt’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins have begun to shift into a new era. With the organization in a transitional period - and in the midst of a rebuild - the Penguins are putting the focus on youth and development.

But - personnel aside - Mantha knows that, at the end of the day, the onus is on him to get back to the level he knows he’s capable of. He has three career 20-plus goal seasons, and he has 146 goals and 303 points in 507 games across parts of 10 NHL seasons. His injury derailed him last year, but he still has all the tools to be an effective player, even as he’s entering the back half of his NHL career.

At the end of the day, Mantha is putting in the work to get both his legs and his confidence back, and he knows he will have to bring the energy from the moment the puck drops on training camp. 

“How to get the confidence back? I mean, it’s a lot of puck touches, a lot of shots… hopefully, I get to play a couple scrimmages here and there during the summer before I show up to camp,” Mantha said. “Then, obviously, camp this year is going to be different than the last couple years where, for me, it’s going to be almost season-type where I need to really get back into it, really focus, and play my best hockey from camp on.”

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.

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

Feature Image Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images

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Mets rally late to complete comeback from four down to beat Angels, 7-5

The Mets came back from four runs down by taking advantage of some shoddy defense by the Los Angeles Angels to grab a 7-5 win on Monday night at Citi Field.

Kodai Senga, lacking sharpness and striking no fear in the Angels -- who showed no fear in laying off the Ghost Fork below the strike zone -- managed to go just three frames as his streak of 31 starts of allowing three runs or fewer ended. But New York's bullpen bought enough time for the bats to respond with a three-run seventh and two-run eighth to improve to 57-44 on the season and 35-16 at home.

Here are the takeaways...

- Down three in the seventh, the Mets came alive when Francisco Alvarez, in his first game back after his demotion, led off with a walk and Luisangel Acuña singled up the middle to knock out Angels starter Tyler Anderson who had been terrific. Reliever Reid Detmers came on and plunked Brandon Nimmo to load the bases. Francisco Lindor grounded into a run-scoring 6-4 fielder’s choice, beating the relay to first and then swiping second without a throw. That proved big as Juan Soto, in a 3-for-30 skid, knocked a base hit up the middle to score a pair and tie the game. 

- Down 1-0 with one out in the second, Jeff McNeil looped a single over the second baseman's head and Mark Vientos followed with a lined smash to left, but the Mets failed to do anything with the opportunity against Anderson, as Brett Baty and Alvarez grounded out.

Baty, with two down and McNeil on first after he walked, redeemed himself in the fourth, clubbing a 2-0 Anderson sinker in the lefty happy zone 404 feet to right for a two-run shot to halve the deficit. The 106.3 mph rocket was Baty's 11th on the year and first against a southpaw. McNeil finished 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. Baty finished 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. Vientos went 1-for-4.

- Alvarez got another chance with the go-ahead runner on first and one down in the eighth, and came up big, taking a low-and-away 97 mph fastball and driving it off the wall in right for a double, aided by Angels right fielder Chris Taylor misplaying the 375-foot smash. 

With runners on second and third, Ronny Mauricio (pinch-hitting for Acuña) grounded it to third, but Yoán Moncada’s throw home was off target and got past the catcher to allow Baty to score the go-ahead run on a play he should have been out on by 10 feet. Nimmo added a sac fly to right to give the Mets a 7-5 lead.

At the plate, Alvarez looked much quieter and worked a pair of walks, to finish 1-for-2 with two walks.

- Edwin Diaz, looking to shake off a blown save in Sunday’s win, struck out the side on 14 pitches to nail down the win.

- Other than Soto’s two-RBI hit, the struggles for the Mets’ heart of the order continued. Lindor, who entered the game in an 0-for-21 slump, popped out twice on the infield as he went 0-for-5 with an RBI. Soto made three straight first-pitch outs, making solid contact on a flyout to center as he went 1-for-4. And Pete Alonso, with just eight hits in his last 48 at-bats (.167) over his last 14 games, went 0-for-3 with a walk and strikeout.

- Senga opened the game by allowing the first batter to reach for the ninth time in 15 starts with a walk, but a strikeout and two good defensive plays on balls in the infield saw him settle into the game.

With two down in the second, Logan O'Hoppe got a center-cut cutter and drove it into the visitor's bullpen for a 401-foot solo home run, 107 mph off the bat.

Senga’s lack of sharpness was apparent with two down in the third. He surrendered a leadoff infield hit to third before getting the next two, but then walked Mike Trout as the Angels continued to have little interest in chasing the splitter. Then Taylor Ward took a 2-1 cutter that got too much of the middle of the plate for a two-run double to left. The Mets probably should have got Trout at the plate, but Nimmo's throw to Lindor was a bit high and the shortstop’s throw to the plate went over everybody’s heads. Jo Adell took a first-pitch fastball to right for a single to make it a three-run inning. Senga issued one more walk before ending the inning with a strikeout on his 37th pitch of the frame.

His final line: 3.0 innings, four runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts on 73 pitches (39 strikes). Senga's average velocity was down at least a mph on all of his pitches, with the average forkball velocity down 2.2 mph and the average sinker velocity down 1.9 mph. He managed 10 whiffs on 26 swings, but half of those came on pitches inside the strike zone.

- Called on early, the bullpen responded well at first. Righty Kevin Herget worked 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two singles. Chris Devenski entered with a man on first and one out in the sixth, and got a strikeout and groundout. 

But Devenski had nothing in the seventh, after a single and caught stealing, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a single to right scored the Angels’ fifth run and put runners on the corners.

Huascar Brazobán got a 5-2 putout with Baty and Alvarez combining well before a strikeout stranded two runners in the seventh. Brooks Raley allowed a two-out single in a scoreless eighth.

- Part of the reason Alvarez was sent down was to work on his receiving, blocking, and all things defense. In the first, he had plenty of opportunities to block and pick balls as Senga struggled to find the zone or get chases. He did well to pounce on a little dribbler in front of the plate and snap a throw to first to get the final out. Alvarez later gunned down Zach Neto trying to steal second for the first out in the seventh, aided by a fine tag by Lindor.

Game MVP: Bullpen

The work from Herget, Devenski, Brazobán, Raley, and Diaz kept the Mets in the game and shut the door after Senga failed to get to double-digit outs.

Highlights

What's next

The two sides are right back at it Tuesday night for a 7:10 p.m. first pitch in Flushing.

Right-hander Frankie Montas (5.03 ERA, 1.169 WHIP in 19.2 innings) climbs the hill for New York in his fifth start of the season. Righty Kyle Hendricks (4.88 ERA, 1.292 WHIP in 96.0 innings) toes the rubber for Los Angeles for his 19th start of the campaign.

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Bad defense, stifled offense leads Yankees to 4-1 loss at Blue Jays

The Yankees lost the series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night by a score of 4-1.

Here are the takeaways...

-Things were going okay for Carlos Rodón until a four-run fifth inning put an abrupt end to his night. Holding on to a 1-0 lead, Rodón began the inning with a walk to George Springer. It was his fifth walk of the night as the lefty had trouble with his command. Up until then, the walks didn't come back to bite Rodón, who maneuvered through traffic on the basepaths, including twice with the bases loaded.

-Things started to cave in, though, during the fifth following the leadoff walk. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled and Bo Bichette drove in two with a double, which gave Toronto the lead. After retiring the next two batters, Rodón's defense let him down.

-Throwing errors by third baseman Oswald Peraza and shortstop Anthony Volpe on routine ground balls scored two more runs, both unearned. Rodón was finally able to put the inning to bed by striking out Joey Loperfido, but not before throwing 40 pitches in the inning (which included a 14-pitch at-bat against Davis Schneider that resulted in a pop out).

-Rodon's final line: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K on 107 pitches (66 strikes).

-Offensively, the Yankees were outmatched by Kevin Gausman, who handled them over seven innings. He allowed a run on four hits and two walks while striking out eight.

-The only run New York scored came in the fourth inning on Giancarlo Stanton's leadoff home run. The blast, Stanton's fifth of the season, gave the Yanks a 1-0 advantage as the designated hitter stayed red-hot. Stanton is now slashing .421/.522/.947 with three home runs over his last seven games.

-Trent Grisham had a two-out double in the third inning, but after Gausman intentionally walked Aaron Judge, the right-hander struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was batting third in the lineup. Despite phenomenal numbers against Gausman, Judge finished 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.

Game MVP: Kevin Gausman

In command all night, Gausman was able to silence the Yankees' hot bats.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees continue their series against their division-leading rivals on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.

RHP Cam Schlittler (1-0, 5.06 ERA) will make his second career start and will be opposed by veteran RHP Max Scherzer (1-0, 4.70 ERA), who is making his sixth start of the season and 463rd of his career.

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Kings Should Target Connor Zary From Flames

It was reported on Monday (Jul. 21) night that the Calgary Flames and forward Connor Zary remained far apart in negotiations about a new contract. While the Flames have $15.4 million in cap space, it doesn’t seem like they’re willing to budge from their original offer, which is “in the low 3s.”

If the Flames and Zary can’t get a deal done and they’re too far apart, the Los Angeles Kings should be all over trying to acquire him. If they can find a way to bring him in at a reasonable price, he could be a solid addition to their middle-six forward group.

Zary, who is 23 years old, scored 13 goals and added 14 assists for 27 points through 54 games last season, which comes out to a 0.50 points-per-game average. All signs point to him getting a three-year contract, but if he gets traded and the Kings can bring him in, they should offer him a long-term deal.

Zary has shown signs of being a promising two-way forward, and his potential shows him having more than what he’s been able to show with the Flames. A fresh start on a contending team could help him flourish, but time will tell if he ends up being available. 

Kings Among Seven Potential Trade Destinations For Jason Robertson Kings Among Seven Potential Trade Destinations For Jason Robertson The Los Angeles Kings are trying to make it back to the playoffs next season, and this time, make a deep run into the postseason as they push to try and make a deep playoff run. They made some additions this summer, but they were recently listed as a potential destination for superstar forward Jason Robertson. Debunking Ridiculous Rumor Connecting Kings To Sidney CrosbyDebunking Ridiculous Rumor Connecting Kings To Sidney CrosbyThe Los Angeles Kings were recently linked to Sidney Crosby, but it's time to shut any speculation down before it gets out of hand. Report: LA Kings GM Claims Anze Kopitar Extension Won't Come This SummerReport: LA Kings GM Claims Anze Kopitar Extension Won't Come This SummerWhile the Los Angeles Kings try to build a roster capable of going deep into the playoffs next season, fans have begun to wonder what is next for forwards Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar. While general manager Ken Holland mentioned that extension discussions were going to get underway with Kempe, he delivered some not-so-positive news about Kopitar.
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Bob Hammel, legendary Indiana sports writer and friend of Bob Knight, dies at 88

Bob Hammel, who covered 23 NCAA Final Fours and 29 Indiana high school basketball tournament championships during a 52-year sports writing career that included a close friendship with late Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, has died. The lifelong Indiana resident spent 40 years with the Bloomington Herald-Telephone and later Herald-Times, including 30 as sports editor. Hammel was a member of several halls of fame, including the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, Football Writers Association of America, Indiana Journalism and Indiana University Athletics.

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San Jose Sharks Could Once Again Have Multiple Calder Trophy Candidates

Last season, the San Jose Sharks had a finalist for the Calder Trophy, Macklin Celebrini, and another finished sixth in voting, Will Smith. Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Sharks are essentially guaranteed to have one candidate for the Calder, but there’s a chance they could have as many as three players with a legitimate shot of winning the Award at the end of the season.

First, a quick reminder of the NHL’s definition of a rookie. Per the NHL’s Hockey Operations Guidelines, “To be considered a rookie, a player must not have played in more than 25 NHL games in any preceding seasons, nor in six or more NHL games in each of any two preceding seasons.”

Due to those rules, players like Shakir Mukhamadullin and Collin Graf are no longer considered rookies, but players like Yegor Afanasyev or Cam Lund will be rookies this coming season. Now, with that said, let’s look at the three potential Sharks rookies who could compete for the Calder Trophy this coming season.

Yaroslav Askarov will see quite a bit of game time for the Sharks as he’s currently projected to be the team’s starting netminder to start the season. He has only played a total of 16 NHL games over his career, 13 of which came during the 2024-25 season, allowing him to maintain his rookie status.

Askarov has been a phenomenal goaltender at the American Hockey League level, and although his numbers from last season weren’t great, he played much better than statistics show. He had some rough moments, but many project him as one of the best goaltending prospects in the NHL, and it’s time for him to show he can last at that high of a level.

For Askarov, there’s an easy comparison for how he needs to perform in order to finish as a finalist for the Calder. If he can play at a level similar to Dustin Wolf, who finished second in voting for the trophy last season, then he’ll likely find himself in a similar position come the end of the season. That will certainly be easier said than done, but Askarov definitely has the talent to do so.

Next, the Sharks’ second overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, Michael Misa, could make a massive impact if he’s able to make the roster out of training camp. It’s far from guaranteed that the 18-year-old captain of the Saginaw Spirit will make the jump to the professional game next season, and there’s even a chance he joins his brother, Luke Misa, in the NCAA come this fall. If he does impress enough at training camp to earn a spot though, there’s a very high chance that he contributes at a high level for the Sharks. In my roster projection, I had Misa starting on the third line, but if he were to play well enough, he could certainly play his way into the top-six within a couple of months under head coach Ryan Warsofsky.

Lastly, the Sharks will also have Sam Dickinson looking to make their opening night roster. The 19-year-old defenseman dominated the Ontario Hockey League last season, but making the jump to the NHL at such a young age is a difficult task for any blue-liner, except for potentially a generational talent.

The reigning Calder winner, Lane Hutson, is a defenseman himself; however, he is a little bit older than Dickinson at 21 years of age. While it may seem like a minute difference, two years of development for defensemen is quite a big difference.

If Dickinson does make the NHL, he seems like the biggest long-shot of the three to find himself in contention for the Calder despite his obvious talent. Similar to Will Smith last season, Dickinson seems like the type of player who will have a bit of an extreme adjustment to the NHL and as a result, he may experience a rough start to the season before truly finding his game a few months into the season.

The Sharks have a great chance that one of their top prospects will walk away with the Calder Trophy at the end of the 2025-26 season, considering the number of players on their roster who could legitimately be in the conversation. With that being said, there’s quite a bit of competition with 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer, Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens, and Ryan Leonard of the Washington Capitals all being in the running as well.

For the second season in a row, the Calder Trophy race will undoubtedly be a big, but fun, subplot to the season in the Bay Area. While Macklin Celebrini came up just short of the award in his rookie season, it will be interesting to see if one of the next batch of newcomers will be able to walk away with some hardware.

Photo Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

80 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 8080 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 80We are just 80 days away from the start of the San Jose Sharks season against the Vegas Golden Knights.81 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 8181 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 81We’re officially just 81 days away from opening night, when the San Jose Sharks will host the Vegas Golden Knights to officially kick off the 2025-26 season. Sharks Roster Projection: Mid-July EditionSharks Roster Projection: Mid-July EditionThe San Jose Sharks have completed most of their business for the summer at this point, and we have a rough idea of what the roster should look like on opening night. With an abundance of players fighting for a limited number of spots, though, there will be hard decisions and we’ll likely see some veterans, or even some younger players, placed on waivers when preseason comes to a close.
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‘Knee cooked’: Nick Kyrgios limps along road to recovery in return from injury

  • Former world No 13 completes first ATP Tour match in four months

  • Australian joins Gael Monfils in first-round doubles defeat at DC Open

Nick Kyrgios has come through his first match since March, and just his sixth this year, completing almost an hour on court in a men’s doubles defeat at the ATP Tour’s DC Open.

Partnering French veteran Gael Monfils, and playing in front of NBA star Kevin Durant, Kyrgios had a tough opening draw against third seeds Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys.

Continue reading...
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Sydney player Riak Andrew faces AFL suspension over homophobic slur

  • 20-year-old cited for comment towards opponent in VFL match

  • Swans boss says ‘behaviour does not reflect the values of our club’

Sydney defender Riak Andrew is facing a lengthy suspension after being cited for using a homophobic slur while representing the AFL club’s reserves team.

First-year player Andrew, the younger brother of Gold Coast star Mac Andrew, used the slur during the Swans’ VFL clash with North Melbourne on Saturday.

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Jonas Valanciunas confirms he will play for Denver this season

Jonas Valanciunas' flirtation with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos was real and they reportedly were willing to offer three years, $13 million (one of the largest contracts on the continent).

The problem for Valanciunas: He was already under contract to the Denver Nuggets, who had traded for his rights from the Sacramento Kings. Denver had no intention of buying out Valanciunas, he is the best backup center Nikola Jokić will have ever had and a key part of the depth the team added over the summer to chase another ring. Valanciunas confirmed he is committed to the Nuggets next season, speaking to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

"I want to clear the air about my playing situation next season now that Denver has made their decision to keep me. The idea of playing for Panathinaikos, closer to home, was very exciting to me, but that will have to wait. I am fully committed to honoring my contract with the Nuggets this season and will give it my all to compete for a championship."

Valanciunas is under contract for $10.4 million for this season, and he has a non-guaranteed $10 million for the 2026-27 season. After Denver made the trade to acquire the veteran center from Lithuania, general manager Ben Tenzer said he spoke with Valanciunas and his representatives, stating that they wanted him to play with them this season and that there was no intention to buy him out. (For Valanciunas to play in Greece next season would have required Denver to agree to a buyout to make him a free agent, FIBA rules do not permit a player under contract in one league to just sign a contract with another.)

Valanciunas is critical to Denver's plans next season, which is why there was never a plan to buy him out of his contract. For a number of years — including during their championship run in 2023 — the Nuggets have fallen off sharply in the minutes Jokic was off the court. Last season, the Nuggets had a -8.5 net rating in the non-Jokic minutes, and in the 2023 championship season, it was even worse, at -9.9. Valanciunas helps change that because he is a skilled big man who can serve as the hub of an offense, executing dribble handoffs while midrange shots (inside 15 feet). Paired with Peyton Watson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and the emerging Julian Strawther, the Nuggets have real depth for a change.

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Flyers Roster Battles Become Clearer with Porter Martone Taking NCAA Route

Flyers draft pick Porter Martone committed to Michigan State on Monday. (Photo: Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)

Porter Martone's commitment to the NCAA's Michigan State means one less winger is battling for a roster spot with the Philadelphia Flyers this fall.

By extension, those players likely to make the NHL roster and those likely to be on the bubble have become increasingly clear.

Rookie forwards Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin are both expected to vie for a roster spot, and Bump has already drawn plaudits from Flyers AGM Brent Flahr, as is tradition, ahead of his first NHL training camp.

Grebenkin already garnered seven games of NHL experience playing for former Flyers head coach Craig Berube and the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, and impressed in his brief stint with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms after arriving in March.

Flyers Prospects Among Favorites to Win NCAA TitleFlyers Prospects Among Favorites to Win NCAA TitleThe future of the Philadelphia Flyers is all about the player development of today, and many of their top prospects are set to be the chief competitors for this season's NCAA title.

From there, the Flyers' dire salary cap situation muddies things, but assuming new head coach Rick Tocchet isn't willing to make Nicolas Deslauriers an every-night player to start the season, and assuming Tyson Foerster isn't ready to play, there's one more opening at the forward position.

Deslauriers is a pure winger, so the Flyers may favor a player who can play center to round out the roster. Names like Karsen Dorwart and Rodrigo Abols come to mind, but with his size and experience, the latter is more likely to steal a roster spot.

Or, with the consideration of adding some speed to the bottom-six, it would be foolish to count out veteran sparkplug Anthony Richard.

I think 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko will have a real opportunity to compete and play in preseason games, but it was quite apparent in his NHL stint with the Flyers last season that this level of competition was too much for him at this point in his development.

The addition of Christian Dvorak in free agency effectively nuked Luchanko's chances of making the NHL roster outright, and the Trevor Zegras experiment at center, if it goes awry, won't have its plug pulled until later in the season.

Flyers Depth Chart 1.0: Early Prospects Outlook, Roster DepthFlyers Depth Chart 1.0: Early Prospects Outlook, Roster DepthThe Philadelphia Flyers didn't make too many additions to the roster this offseason, but they did enough to shake up the organizational depth chart for the time being.

Luchanko doesn't have that kind of time, and he didn't exactly set the OHL ablaze in his D+1 season last year. The 18-year-old center deserves to have a full training camp with the Guelph Storm and go from there.

Bump is as sure as sure can be at this stage, so long as he doesn't completely tank in training camp and the preseason.

Martone, who turns 19 in October, would have been Bump and Grebenkin's greatest threat to an NHL roster spot, but by going to Michigan State, the 2025 No. 6 pick won't even be competing for that privilege.

What happens this time next year, though, could be a different story.

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Phils offense disappears, but they catch a break in walk-off win over Boston

Phils offense disappears, but they catch a break in walk-off win over Boston originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

When you’ve been around the game of baseball for forty years the way Phillies manager Rob Thomson has, there aren’t many things that are going to surprise or shock you. Check that box not once, but twice. And all in the span of a couple of weeks.

The Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox Monday at Citizens Bank Park on a – get this – walk-off catcher’s interference in the 10th inning for a 3-2 series-opening victory.

Edmundo Sosa, who pinch-hit earlier in the game for Bryson Stott, was the beneficiary of the unimaginable, game-ending play when he reached for a 1-2 slider from reliever Jordan Hicks and made contact with Red Sox catcher Carlos Nervaez’ glove. This forced home the winning run in one of the oddest endings in Thomson’s career. The other came on July 8 in San Francisco when the Phillies lost on an inside-the-park, three-run home run.

“There’s two things this year that I’ve never seen before in 40 years and one is a walk-off inside-the-park home run and one is a walk off catcher’s interference,” Thomson shrugged.

The end came after a night of oddities in the game. Pitcher Zack Wheeler, who had a 0.79 ERA in his last five games at Citizens Bank Park, gave up a leadoff home run to Jarren Duran to start the game and put the Phillies in a 1-0 hole. As expected, he battled all night though his stuff wasn’t his best. The Phillies gave him a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Bryce Harper doubled and scored on a Nick Castellanos single.

Castellanos then took second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by J.T. Realmuto. The Red Sox scored a run to tie it on three consecutive hits in the sixth off Wheeler, before he struck out the last two batters of the inning. That was his night after six, as he gave up just the two runs and struck out 10.

After Realmuto’s single in the fourth, the Phillies sent 22 hitters to the plate. They got just one hit but were able to push through the winning run to improve to 57-43 on the year. They still hold a half-game lead over the Mets atop the East.

“It was a little rough for me, I was a little bit out of sync,” said WheeIer. “I felt great, but just a little out of sync. Aggressive team and you have to get back in there but not too much in the zone. It wasn’t as crisp as I’d like, but we got out of it. Every game’s a big one, from the first game of the year to the last one. The wins, they add up. If you don’t think every game’s a big game, at the end of the season you might be going home early. Got to win that game, got to win the series.” No matter how oddly you do it.

Phillies reliever Max Lazar came in for the tenth inning with Rob Refsnyder placed at second base. Lazar paid no attention as he got a strikeout, groundout and another strikeout to end the top of the tenth. Then things got really strange.

With Brandon Marsh place at second, Otto Kemp got a four-pitch walk from Hicks. A wild pitch put runners and second and third and the Red Sox intentionally walked Max Kepler to load the bases. Up stepped Sosa, who had the lone hit during the Phillies dry spell from the fourth inning on. After looking at two strikes, he laid off a 101 mile-an-hour sinker and fouled off another before becoming part of one of the strangest endings any of us will ever see. Including a man that has been in the game for 40-years.

“I just thought of defending the zone, staying short to the ball.” said Sosa. “Then he goes out with that slider away and I go after it. I feel my barrel is a little late on the pitch and as I go with my swing path I feel like I hit the catcher’s glove and I told the ump that I thought I felt something. We all saw that afterwards. 

It’s the first time it happened in my career like this. This feels like a home run because the most important thing about it is we end up winning the game and that’s what we go out to do.”

Asked if it was his first walk-off of his career, Sosa couldn’t remember. “In Philly it’s the first one for sure.”

And certainly one he’ll never forget.

None of it would have been possible if it was for the gutsy performance by Lazar, who picked up his first win of his major league career.

“Being in the minor leagues for the past few years we’re kind of the test dummies for what MLB is implementing so I’ve had experience with the pitch clock and the ghost runner on second,” said Lazar. “I think that definitely helped. I’ve pitched in a lot of situations this year. That’s what you’ve got to do when you’re a young guy. So just being ready every day. Whenever that inning comes or that phone rings I can go out there and give it my all.”

And it may just lead to you winning your first major league game in absolutely unforgettable fashion.

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Phils offense disappears, but they catch a break in win over Boston

Phils offense disappears, but they catch a break in win over Boston originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

When you’ve been around the game of baseball for forty years the way Phillies manager Rob Thomson has, there aren’t many things that are going to surprise or shock you. Check that box not once, but twice. And all in the span of a couple of weeks.

The Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox Monday at Citizens Bank Park on a – get this – walk-off catcher’s interference in the 10th inning for a 3-2 series-opening victory.

Edmundo Sosa, who pinch-hit earlier in the game for Bryson Stott, was the beneficiary of the unimaginable, game-ending play when he reached for a 1-2 slider from reliever Jordan Hicks and made contact with Red Sox catcher Carlos Nervaez’ glove. This forced home the winning run in one of the oddest endings in Thomson’s career. The other came on July 8 in San Francisco when the Phillies lost on an inside-the-park, three-run home run.

“There’s two things this year that I’ve never seen before in 40 years and one is a walk-off inside-the-park home run and one is a walk off catcher’s interference,” Thomson shrugged.

The end came after a night of oddities in the game. Pitcher Zack Wheeler, who had a 0.79 ERA in his last five games at Citizens Bank Park, gave up a leadoff home run to Jarren Duran to start the game and put the Phillies in a 1-0 hole. As expected, he battled all night though his stuff wasn’t his best. The Phillies gave him a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Bryce Harper doubled and scored on a Nick Castellanos single.

Castellanos then took second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by J.T. Realmuto. The Red Sox scored a run to tie it on three consecutive hits in the sixth off Wheeler, before he struck out the last two batters of the inning. That was his night after six, as he gave up just the two runs and struck out 10.

After Realmuto’s single in the fourth, the Phillies sent 22 hitters to the plate. They got just one hit but were able to push through the winning run to improve to 57-43 on the year. They still hold a half-game lead over the Mets atop the East.

“It was a little rough for me, I was a little bit out of sync,” said WheeIer. “I felt great, but just a little out of sync. Aggressive team and you have to get back in there but not too much in the zone. It wasn’t as crisp as I’d like, but we got out of it. Every game’s a big one, from the first game of the year to the last one. The wins, they add up. If you don’t think every game’s a big game, at the end of the season you might be going home early. Got to win that game, got to win the series.” No matter how oddly you do it.

Phillies reliever Max Lazar came in for the tenth inning with Rob Refsnyder placed at second base. Lazar paid no attention as he got a strikeout, groundout and another strikeout to end the top of the tenth. Then things got really strange.

With Brandon Marsh place at second, Otto Kemp got a four-pitch walk from Hicks. A wild pitch put runners and second and third and the Red Sox intentionally walked Max Kepler to load the bases. Up stepped Sosa, who had the lone hit during the Phillies dry spell from the fourth inning on. After looking at two strikes, he laid off a 101 mile-an-hour sinker and fouled off another before becoming part of one of the strangest endings any of us will ever see. Including a man that has been in the game for 40-years.

“I just thought of defending the zone, staying short to the ball.” said Sosa. “Then he goes out with that slider away and I go after it. I feel my barrel is a little late on the pitch and as I go with my swing path I feel like I hit the catcher’s glove and I told the ump that I thought I felt something. We all saw that afterwards. 

It’s the first time it happened in my career like this. This feels like a home run because the most important thing about it is we end up winning the game and that’s what we go out to do.”

Asked if it was his first walk-off of his career, Sosa couldn’t remember. “In Philly it’s the first one for sure.”

And certainly one he’ll never forget.

None of it would have been possible if it was for the gutsy performance by Lazar, who picked up his first win of his major league career.

“Being in the minor leagues for the past few years we’re kind of the test dummies for what MLB is implementing so I’ve had experience with the pitch clock and the ghost runner on second,” said Lazar. “I think that definitely helped. I’ve pitched in a lot of situations this year. That’s what you’ve got to do when you’re a young guy. So just being ready every day. Whenever that inning comes or that phone rings I can go out there and give it my all.”

And it may just lead to you winning your first major league game in absolutely unforgettable fashion.

Posted on

Phils offense disappears, but they catch a break in win over Boston

Phils offense disappears, but they catch a break in win over Boston originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

When you’ve been around the game of baseball for forty years the way Phillies manager Rob Thomson has, there aren’t many things that are going to surprise or shock you. Check that box not once, but twice. And all in the span of a couple of weeks.

The Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox Monday at Citizens Bank Park on a – get this – walk-off catcher’s interference in the 10th inning for a 3-2 series-opening victory.

Edmundo Sosa, who pinch-hit earlier in the game for Bryson Stott, was the beneficiary of the unimaginable, game-ending play when he reached for a 1-2 slider from reliever Jordan Hicks and made contact with Red Sox catcher Carlos Nervaez’ glove. This forced home the winning run in one of the oddest endings in Thomson’s career. The other came on July 8 in San Francisco when the Phillies lost on an inside-the-park, three-run home run.

“There’s two things this year that I’ve never seen before in 40 years and one is a walk-off inside-the-park home run and one is a walk off catcher’s interference,” Thomson shrugged.

The end came after a night of oddities in the game. Pitcher Zack Wheeler, who had a 0.79 ERA in his last five games at Citizens Bank Park, gave up a leadoff home run to Jarren Duran to start the game and put the Phillies in a 1-0 hole. As expected, he battled all night though his stuff wasn’t his best. The Phillies gave him a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Bryce Harper doubled and scored on a Nick Castellanos single.

Castellanos then took second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by J.T. Realmuto. The Red Sox scored a run to tie it on three consecutive hits in the sixth off Wheeler, before he struck out the last two batters of the inning. That was his night after six, as he gave up just the two runs and struck out 10.

After Realmuto’s single in the fourth, the Phillies sent 22 hitters to the plate. They got just one hit but were able to push through the winning run to improve to 57-43 on the year. They still hold a half-game lead over the Mets atop the East.

“It was a little rough for me, I was a little bit out of sync,” said WheeIer. “I felt great, but just a little out of sync. Aggressive team and you have to get back in there but not too much in the zone. It wasn’t as crisp as I’d like, but we got out of it. Every game’s a big one, from the first game of the year to the last one. The wins, they add up. If you don’t think every game’s a big game, at the end of the season you might be going home early. Got to win that game, got to win the series.” No matter how oddly you do it.

Phillies reliever Max Lazar came in for the tenth inning with Rob Refsnyder placed at second base. Lazar paid no attention as he got a strikeout, groundout and another strikeout to end the top of the tenth. Then things got really strange.

With Brandon Marsh place at second, Otto Kemp got a four-pitch walk from Hicks. A wild pitch put runners and second and third and the Red Sox intentionally walked Max Kepler to load the bases. Up stepped Sosa, who had the lone hit during the Phillies dry spell from the fourth inning on. After looking at two strikes, he laid off a 101 mile-an-hour sinker and fouled off another before becoming part of one of the strangest endings any of us will ever see. Including a man that has been in the game for 40-years.

“I just thought of defending the zone, staying short to the ball.” said Sosa. “Then he goes out with that slider away and I go after it. I feel my barrel is a little late on the pitch and as I go with my swing path I feel like I hit the catcher’s glove and I told the ump that I thought I felt something. We all saw that afterwards. 

It’s the first time it happened in my career like this. This feels like a home run because the most important thing about it is we end up winning the game and that’s what we go out to do.”

Asked if it was his first walk-off of his career, Sosa couldn’t remember. “In Philly it’s the first one for sure.”

And certainly one he’ll never forget.

None of it would have been possible if it was for the gutsy performance by Lazar, who picked up his first win of his major league career.

“Being in the minor leagues for the past few years we’re kind of the test dummies for what MLB is implementing so I’ve had experience with the pitch clock and the ghost runner on second,” said Lazar. “I think that definitely helped. I’ve pitched in a lot of situations this year. That’s what you’ve got to do when you’re a young guy. So just being ready every day. Whenever that inning comes or that phone rings I can go out there and give it my all.”

And it may just lead to you winning your first major league game in absolutely unforgettable fashion.