Join NBC Sports Philadelphia for Phillies Down the Shore watch party! originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Mark your calendars, NBC Sports Philadelphia is heading down the shore for a Phillies watch party!
Join us 5 p.m. Aug. 12 at Excursion Park in Sea Isle to watch the Phillies take on the Reds with raffles, special guests and more!
Presented by AC Electric
The NHL trade rumors may have slowed down for now in this part of the offseason, but the Philadelphia Flyers are still linked to a number of top available talents.
This offseason has mostly been a slow burn for the Flyers, as they traded for Trevor Zegras, signed goalie Dan Vladar and center Christian Dvorak, and extended Cam York within one week of either side of the start of free agency.
But, if GM Danny Briere and the Flyers ever want to pick things back up before the start of the season, it's not like they'll be short on options.
The Fourth Period, led by NHL insider David Pagnotta, recently released its updated summer trade watch list, and the Flyers are, apparently, still in the mix for a handful of young stars, including a pair of centers.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, who has been connected to the Flyers at many points over the last few seasons, ranked No. 1 on TFP's list, with the Flyers among the 10 linked teams.
Flyers Trade Target Re-Signs with SabresLong-standing Philadelphia Flyers trade target Bowen Byram isn't leaving the Buffalo Sabres just yet.
Another player whose trade hype has died out in Philadelphia is Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, whose reported lofty contract demands have left him unsigned nearly a month after the start of free agency.
The 23-year-old may or may not stay in Minnesota, but it's clear the contract situation is slowing things down on the trade market, too.
Dropping 10 spots from Rossi's No. 4 ranking to No. 14, we stumble across Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish, a 22-year-old RFA.
McTavish, like Rossi, is in need of a new contract, and his size and experience would make him a surefire top-six center on a team like the Flyers.
I have my own reservations about the former No. 3 overall pick's playstyle and ceiling, but it's undeniable he would upgrade the Flyers' center depth for many years.
Philadelphia Flyers Should Avoid This Potential Ducks Trade TargetThe Philadelphia Flyers are still well positioned to execute a blockbuster trade for a top center this summer, but one popular potential trade target on the Anaheim Ducks isn't worth all the hype.
The Flyers, Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Calgary Flames are among the teams connected to McTavish, according to TFP.
As far as reported links go, that's the end of the list, but there are a few more names worth considering from Philadelphia's perspective.
Players like Pavel Zacha and Yegor Chinakhov aren't too old yet and could benefit from a change of scenery, especially on a Flyers team looking to improve and begin its ascent.
The big thing for the Flyers, as with every player on this list, is how they're going to come up with the cap space.
With Ryan Ellis and Ivan Fedotov still included on the active roster, the Flyers have just $370k in cap space.
But that's what trades are for, right?
What Buster Posey, Giants need from top prospect Bryce Eldridge before MLB debut originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Anything worth having is worth the wait.
Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, while in ESPN’s broadcast booth during San Francisco’s matchup against the Mets on Sunday, shared what the organization’s top prospect, first baseman Bryce Eldridge must do to earn a much-anticipated call-up.
“We’re excited about Bryce. I think the key number that you mentioned is that he’s 20,” Buster said. “He’s still got a lot of growth both offensively and defensively.”
Eldridge has played 150 games over the last two seasons and been promoted four times, including twice to Triple-A.
As it stands, there’s only one more to make, and that would ascend him to the Giants in the big leagues, but with Rafael Devers joining Wilmer Flores and Dominic Smith in the first base mix at some point this season, there’s no rush to promote the 20-year-old.
Not yet, at least.
“One of the luxuries now with having Rafael Devers is that we’re not as rushed with Bryce,” Posey added. “Randy Wynn and Kyle Haines and player development I know feel strongly that it’s important for these guys to get their reps.”
As Eldridge, the Giants’ 2023 first-round draft pick (No. 16 overall), continues to skyrocket through the minor leagues and is knocking on the big-league door the question begs: So what exactly do Posey and Co. want to see from Eldridge prior to his big-league debut?
Posey has the answer.
“We want them to beat the door down,” Posey concluded. “We really want them to beat the door down to get here and be ready to make an impact when they get here.”
England condemned in India and Australia
Jamie Overton added to squad for final Test
Kevin Pietersen has come to the defence of Ben Stokes after the England captain became the subject of savage criticism in India and Australia for the behaviour seen from him and some of his teammates in the closing stages of the drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford.
England reacted angrily to India’s refusal to accept the draw when it was first offered on Sunday, with Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja instead choosing to stay on the field until they completed their centuries – which prompted England to stand down their frontline bowlers and let batsman Harry Brook bowl until they both did so, amid significant on-field chuntering.
Continue reading...Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 candidates originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Ichiro Suzuki, C.C. Sabathia and Billy Wagner got their call to Cooperstown, but who will be joining them next year?
The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2025 with each surpassing the requisite 75% vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2026 ballot.
Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2025 class, which had two first-ballot Hall of Famers in Ichiro and Sabathia. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.
Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.
Cole Hamels could look to follow in Sabathia’s footsteps as a first-ballot southpaw, but his resume isn’t nearly as strong.
The former Philadelphia Phillies star’s accomplishments include a 163-122 record in 422 career starts, a 3.43 ERA, 2,560 career strikeouts, four All-Star selections, NLCS and World Series MVP honors in 2008 and a no-hitter in 2015 that doubled as his last career start with the Phillies. By comparison, Sabathia had 88 more wins and eclipsed the 3,000-strikeout threshold.
Carlos Beltrán is the most likely player to join the Class of 2026. The nine-time All-Star appeared on 70.3% of Hall of Fame ballots in 2025, leaving him 19 votes shy of Cooperstown. It was still a significant rise from the 57.1% he received just one year prior, so he’s on pace to get his call to the hall in 2026.
It could be Andruw Jones’ time, as well. The Atlanta Braves star was on 66.2% of ballots in 2025, which marked his eighth year of Hall of Fame candidacy. The five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover will need a noticeable increase in voting with just two years of eligibility remaining.
Hamels isn’t the only former Phillies star on the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, as several of his former teammates are returning players. Chase Utley is the top vote-getter among them after appearing on 39.8% of ballots in 2025, which was his second year of eligibility. Bobby Abreu (19.5% in 2025) and Jimmy Rollins (18.0% in 2025) are entering their seventh and fifth year of eligibility, respectively.
Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, made the biggest leap of any returning player on the 2025 ballot. He went from 13.6% in 2024 to 27.9% in 2025, giving him some hope for future enshrinement as he goes into his eighth year of eligibility.
Félix Hernández is the most notable name to watch among players who were first-year eligible in 2025. The Seattle Mariners legend will look to make a second-year leap after receiving 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot.
As for players linked to MLB’s steroid era, Alex Rodriguez (37.1% in 2025) is entering his fifth year of Hall of Fame eligibility, while Manny Ramirez (34.3% in 2025) is entering his 10th and final year on the ballot.\
Ryan Braun started his MLB career on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but a performance-enhancing drug suspension in 2013 stained his resume. He finished his career as the Milwaukee Brewers’ franchise leader in home runs with 352.
Edwin Encarnación (424 home runs), Matt Kemp (three-time All-Star) and Shin-Soo Choo (one-time All-Star) are among the players who should appear on more than 5% of ballots in 2026, allowing them to stick on the ballot in 2027.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred removed Pete Rose from the league’s permanently ineligible list in May, paving the way for MLB’s all-time hits leader to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Instead of the BBWAA ballot, the Historical Overview Committee will oversee Rose’s posthumous candidacy. The committee is next scheduled to meet in 2027 to develop a ballot with names for the Classic Era Committee, so 2028 is the soonest Rose could be voted in.
Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 candidates originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Ichiro Suzuki, C.C. Sabathia and Billy Wagner got their call to Cooperstown, but who will be joining them next year?
The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2025 with each surpassing the requisite 75% vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2026 ballot.
Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2025 class, which had two first-ballot Hall of Famers in Ichiro and Sabathia. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.
Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.
Cole Hamels could look to follow in Sabathia’s footsteps as a first-ballot southpaw, but his resume isn’t nearly as strong.
The former Philadelphia Phillies star’s accomplishments include a 163-122 record in 422 career starts, a 3.43 ERA, 2,560 career strikeouts, four All-Star selections, NLCS and World Series MVP honors in 2008 and a no-hitter in 2015 that doubled as his last career start with the Phillies. By comparison, Sabathia had 88 more wins and eclipsed the 3,000-strikeout threshold.
Carlos Beltrán is the most likely player to join the Class of 2026. The nine-time All-Star appeared on 70.3% of Hall of Fame ballots in 2025, leaving him 19 votes shy of Cooperstown. It was still a significant rise from the 57.1% he received just one year prior, so he’s on pace to get his call to the hall in 2026.
It could be Andruw Jones’ time, as well. The Atlanta Braves star was on 66.2% of ballots in 2025, which marked his eighth year of Hall of Fame candidacy. The five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover will need a noticeable increase in voting with just two years of eligibility remaining.
Hamels isn’t the only former Phillies star on the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, as several of his former teammates are returning players. Chase Utley is the top vote-getter among them after appearing on 39.8% of ballots in 2025, which was his second year of eligibility. Bobby Abreu (19.5% in 2025) and Jimmy Rollins (18.0% in 2025) are entering their seventh and fifth year of eligibility, respectively.
Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, made the biggest leap of any returning player on the 2025 ballot. He went from 13.6% in 2024 to 27.9% in 2025, giving him some hope for future enshrinement as he goes into his eighth year of eligibility.
Félix Hernández is the most notable name to watch among players who were first-year eligible in 2025. The Seattle Mariners legend will look to make a second-year leap after receiving 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot.
As for players linked to MLB’s steroid era, Alex Rodriguez (37.1% in 2025) is entering his fifth year of Hall of Fame eligibility, while Manny Ramirez (34.3% in 2025) is entering his 10th and final year on the ballot.\
Ryan Braun started his MLB career on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but a performance-enhancing drug suspension in 2013 stained his resume. He finished his career as the Milwaukee Brewers’ franchise leader in home runs with 352.
Edwin Encarnación (424 home runs), Matt Kemp (three-time All-Star) and Shin-Soo Choo (one-time All-Star) are among the players who should appear on more than 5% of ballots in 2026, allowing them to stick on the ballot in 2027.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred removed Pete Rose from the league’s permanently ineligible list in May, paving the way for MLB’s all-time hits leader to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Instead of the BBWAA ballot, the Historical Overview Committee will oversee Rose’s posthumous candidacy. The committee is next scheduled to meet in 2027 to develop a ballot with names for the Classic Era Committee, so 2028 is the soonest Rose could be voted in.
The great debate over the best college football stadium is sure to inspire strong opinions. Our staff weighing in to create our list of the top 25.
Indiana's football scheduling moves aren't just pathetic. They're unnecessary. The College Football Playoff committee wields the power to clap back.
A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025.
That out of the way, here’s a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy baseball roster this season.
[Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all]
1. J.J. Wetherholt, INF, St. Louis Cardinals
2025 stats: 73 G, .306/.421/.513, 11 HR, 14 SB, 48 BB, 48 SO at Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis.
If I listed every reason for this, it would make this a 6,000-word article and absolutely no one wants that, but I’ll just get this out of the way: This is the least confident I’ve ever been in a list this late into the year. I have no idea whether Wetherholt (see what I did there?) is going to make his debut in 2025, but it’s not just about proximity, folks. Wetherholt’s talent is exceptional, and the fact that he’s slugged four homers with a .762 OPS since being promoted to Triple-A didn’t hurt his case for ascending to the top of this list, either. Wetherholt has played more shortstop than second base in Memphis, and the latter position is obviously covered right now for St. Louis. I still think his ability to hit for average, power and steal bases — potentially, anyway — makes him the prospect I’d roster right now.
2. Luke Keaschall, INF/OF, Minnesota Twins
2025 stats: 22 G, .244/.358/.295, 1 HR, 8 SB, 14 BB, 17 SO at Triple-A St. Paul; 7 G, .368/.538/.526, 0 HR, 5 SB, 5 BB, 2 SO at Minnesota.
You would be forgiven if you forgot about Keaschall, but now’s a good time to, well, stop forgetting. The 22-year-old missed nearly three months while dealing with a fractured right forearm, but he’s returned to action and shown off his impressive speed and approach. The power is the question mark with Keaschall, but he can put the ball into the gaps and can turn on enough fastballs to suggest he won’t be just a dink-and-dunk hitter. Keaschall should rejoin the Twins in the coming weeks, and fantasy managers could do worse than to give the right-handed hitter a shot once that takes place.
3. Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 stats: 53 G, .319/.410/.583, 10 HR, 18 SB, 30 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G, .000/.136/.000, 0 HR, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona.
Ranking Lawlar is kinda impossible right now, but I’ll do it anyway. The case against him is pretty simple; he’s out with a hamstring injury and there’s no word as to when he’ll be able to return. The case for him is those stats you see above — the minor league ones, not the small-sampled struggles in a brief cup of coffee — and the fact that Arizona is very much in sell mode/should want to see Lawlar playing everyday. So it goes like this: If the Diamondbacks recall Lawlar, add him; he’s the type of player who can contribute in every fantasy category. But don’t be surprised if they take it easy and have their top prospect make his debut as a full-time starter in 2026.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season]
4. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles
2025 stats: 64 G, .280/.394/.615, 120 HR, 0 SB, 40 BB, 57 SO at Triple-A Norfolk.
If I absolutely knew that Basallo was going to be up in the coming weeks, he’d be the top prospect on this list. He should be up already, as he’s scorching hot with a .350/.413/.775 slash over his last 10 games that was buoyed by a 5-for-5 effort with a homer against Lehigh Valley on Friday. Basallo has some of the best power in the minors right now, and the approach at the plate keeps getting better to suggest he’ll get on at a solid clip with a decent average to go with it. There’s just no guarantee that Baltimore is going to bring him up, so fantasy managers need to play the wait-and-see game. Unless you play in a league with two catchers. I’d probably roster him now in that case.
5. Spencer Jones, OF, New York Yankees
2025 stats: 68 G, .314/.411/.706, 29 HR, 16 SB, 42 BB, 94 SO at Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
I want you to look at that number of games played and that number of homers closely, because it still feels like that’s not possible. Jones homered three times for the RailRiders on Thursday, but has been out of the lineup since then due to back spasms. Obviously that injury is a potential concern, but with potential concern comes a 6-foot-7 left-handed hitter who has homered 13 times in 19 games since being promoted to Triple-A. Yes, he strikes out a ton. Yes, there’ll likely be an adjustment period when he gets a chance to face MLB pitching. But yes, I am still rostering him if the Yankees promote him because of the potential power production.
6. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 stats: 20 G, 82.2 IP, 3.27 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 41 BB, 104 SO at Triple-A Indianapolis.
I feel like this late in the year we have to have a pitcher on the list, and the fact of the matter is that Chandler — with all due respect to Andrew Painter and a few other names — is the best pitching prospect in Triple-A right now. So, I’m adding a spot for him. He’s also been pitching well after a bit of a funk in the middle of the summer, and fired back-to-back shutouts over six innings to begin July with a 5 2/3 inning effort of two-run baseball with seven strikeouts in his most recent outing. The Pirates are just as likely to shut down Chandler as they are to promote him, but if he gets a chance in the majors, his swing-and-miss stuff and ability to throw four pitches for strikes makes him relevant.
There’s a lot of debate as to who the best prospect in baseball is, but right now, I would argue that the best fantasy prospect in the sport is Jesús Made. Made has been solid with the bat all year, but better of late with a .306 average and .836 OPS over his last 10 games. Even as a player that turned 18 in May, the switch-hitting shortstop has shown off four plus-tools, and three of those are relevant to fantasy in his hit, power and speed. There’s some question as to whether he’ll need to move off shortstop, but the Brew Crew have a few years to find out exactly where he profiles best. If he sticks at short, he has a chance to be a fantasy superstar, but if he moved to the outfield, second or third base he’s still the player I’d want the most in any eligible format.
The Marlins have been a pleasant surprise in 2025 — if only because the expectations were so incredibly low — and they also have seen Robby Snelling develop into one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in baseball. Since being promoted to Triple-A in July, Snelling has an ERA of 2.30 over his three starts with a 15/4 K/BB ratio over 15 2/3 innings with the Jumbo Shrimp. Eleven of those punchouts came in his start Saturday against Triple-A Durham, and he’s shown the ability to miss bats with three pitches while throwing them for strikes on a consistent enough basis to suggest good things. He could make his MLB debut in 2025, but even if he doesn’t he’s a name to keep a close eye on for 2026.
We talked about Jones and his impressive power display, but there’s another slugger who has been bashing the ball over the fence in Triple-A lately, and it’s Mariners’ first base prospect Tyler Locklear. Locklear has homered six times in his last 10 games, and in that timeframe he’s slashing a robust .417/.511/.972 for Tacoma. The 2022 second-round pick really struggled in his short time with the Mariners last year, but he’s a player with well above-average power and the ball jumps off his bat when he makes contact. Seattle isn’t likely to give him a chance in 2025 after the trade for Josh Naylor, but he does have the skill set to be a middle-of-the-order hitter in the coming seasons. If he were to be traded before the deadline, he’d be worthy of consideration; assuming he gets promoted after that transaction, of course.
It was a good week for title challengers Somerset and a brilliant one for Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley
This article is from The 99.94 Cricket Blog
Continue reading...Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun headline Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 candidates originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Ichiro Suzuki, C.C. Sabathia and Billy Wagner got their call to Cooperstown, but who will be joining them next year?
The three players were enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday as part of the Class of 2025 with each surpassing the requisite 75% vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Now, baseball fans can start looking ahead to the 2026 ballot.
Next year’s ballot does not have nearly as much star power as the 2025 class, which had two first-ballot Hall of Famers in Ichiro and Sabathia. Still, a handful of players could be on their way to Cooperstown next summer.
Here’s a look at the top names to watch in the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.
Cole Hamels could look to follow in Sabathia’s footsteps as a first-ballot southpaw, but his resume isn’t nearly as strong.
The former Philadelphia Phillies star’s accomplishments include a 163-122 record in 422 career starts, a 3.43 ERA, 2,560 career strikeouts, four All-Star selections, NLCS and World Series MVP honors in 2008 and a no-hitter in 2015 that doubled as his last career start with the Phillies. By comparison, Sabathia had 88 more wins and eclipsed the 3,000-strikeout threshold.
Carlos Beltrán is the most likely player to join the Class of 2026. The nine-time All-Star appeared on 70.3% of Hall of Fame ballots in 2025, leaving him 19 votes shy of Cooperstown. It was still a significant rise from the 57.1% he received just one year prior, so he’s on pace to get his call to the hall in 2026.
It could be Andruw Jones’ time, as well. The Atlanta Braves star was on 66.2% of ballots in 2025, which marked his eighth year of Hall of Fame candidacy. The five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover will need a noticeable increase in voting with just two years of eligibility remaining.
Hamels isn’t the only former Phillies star on the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, as several of his former teammates are returning players. Chase Utley is the top vote-getter among them after appearing on 39.8% of ballots in 2025, which was his second year of eligibility. Bobby Abreu (19.5% in 2025) and Jimmy Rollins (18.0% in 2025) are entering their seventh and fifth year of eligibility, respectively.
Andy Pettitte, a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees, made the biggest leap of any returning player on the 2025 ballot. He went from 13.6% in 2024 to 27.9% in 2025, giving him some hope for future enshrinement as he goes into his eighth year of eligibility.
Félix Hernández is the most notable name to watch among players who were first-year eligible in 2025. The Seattle Mariners legend will look to make a second-year leap after receiving 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot.
As for players linked to MLB’s steroid era, Alex Rodriguez (37.1% in 2025) is entering his fifth year of Hall of Fame eligibility, while Manny Ramirez (34.3% in 2025) is entering his 10th and final year on the ballot.\
Ryan Braun started his MLB career on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but a performance-enhancing drug suspension in 2013 stained his resume. He finished his career as the Milwaukee Brewers’ franchise leader in home runs with 352.
Edwin Encarnación (424 home runs), Matt Kemp (three-time All-Star) and Shin-Soo Choo (one-time All-Star) are among the players who should appear on more than 5% of ballots in 2026, allowing them to stick on the ballot in 2027.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred removed Pete Rose from the league’s permanently ineligible list in May, paving the way for MLB’s all-time hits leader to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Instead of the BBWAA ballot, the Historical Overview Committee will oversee Rose’s posthumous candidacy. The committee is next scheduled to meet in 2027 to develop a ballot with names for the Classic Era Committee, so 2028 is the soonest Rose could be voted in.
If ever a cyclist was suited to the intensity of the modern, made-for-TV format of the Tour, it is Tadej Pogacar
Fourth Tour wins are, I once wrote, “more for the record books than the heart … the penultimate step to cycling greatness, [they] often do little to warm the soul at the time”. The past three weeks suggests that nothing has changed. It’s far from the four stages of grief, but you could argue that a first Tour victory is met with surprise and delight, a second admiration, the third respect, the fourth resignation.
As Tadej Pogacar’s fourth Tour win approached with the inevitability of a steamroller this week the chief cycling writer at l’Equipe, Alex Roos, grumbled about the Slovene’s lack of joie de vivre. “For the last few days, his sulks, his grumbles, his bad mood have blurred and eaten away at the ambience of the end of this Tour, because how can you get enthusiastic if the Yellow Jersey himself gives the impression of being bored and going through something painful …?”
Continue reading...Kodai Senga has been a bit up-and-down since returning from the IL.
He put together four scoreless innings in his return in Kansas City, but then was knocked around and ended up being chased after just three earlier this week against the Angels.
Sunday’s outing against the Giants was much of the same.
The right-hander worked around trouble in each of his five innings of work, but was able to limit the damage to just two bad pitches -- both of which were Matt Chapman home run's (solo and two-run shot).
Overall, Senga allowed those three runs on four hits and five walks.
“First time he goes five innings since coming back from injury,” Carlos Mendoza said. “We pushed him today, we had a number in mind which he reached, so I want to say it was a good step in the right direction for him.”
Senga has now given up a total of seven runs over his first three starts back.
Easily the biggest issue -- the eight walks he’s issued over that span.
“I felt prepared going into tonight,” he said through a translator. “Just a lot of uncompetitive pitches, those don’t help and I know that if I can minimize those moving forward then it’s going to help me get back into a groove.”
Though Senga has been shaky, Mendoza is confident he’ll be able to work through his mechanical issues and return to his dominant form.
“This is a guy that the more reps he gets, the better he’s gonna get,” the skipper said. “I’m not concerned, he’s too good of a pitcher and he’ll figure it out, I think
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been the subject of a plethora of trade speculation this summer, as big-name veterans like Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust have been in the rumor mill for quite some time.
While those players are - rightfully - commanding a lot of the attention on the market, there may be a few smaller moves in store for the Penguins, too.
As it stands, Pittsburgh currently has 13 forwards on its active roster, and that doesn't include any up-and-comers like Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, or SHL Forward of the Year Filip Hallander. The reality is that, in order for those guys to crack the roster, the Penguins are likely going to have to free up some roster space prior to puck drop against the New York Rangers on Oct. 7.
While it's very possible that either Rust or Rakell will be on the move, there may be some other forwards to keep an eye on as well.
To be clear, the Penguins like Noel Acciari and what he brings to the table. He may have negative value offensively, but he does a lot of the "thankless jobs," as former head coach Mike Sullivan would often say: He blocks a lot of shots (finished third in the NHL among forwards with 100), hits a lot of guys (led the Penguins in hits with 180), and plays a lot of the tough minutes on the penalty kill and in defensive zone starts.
Honestly, Acciari, 33, would be a pretty good get for a contending team in need of not only a depth forward, but a player who is capable of manning some of those tough minutes on the fourth line. He wouldn’t even necessarily need to be an everyday player in the lineup, although he does have value, contrary to what some Penguins’ fans might think.
Can The Penguins Still Rebuild With One Of Rakell Or Rust Around?It seems like Pittsburgh Penguins' forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are the subject of Pittsburgh hockey news just about every other day at this point.
He’s only on the books for one more season at $2 million, which isn’t much, especially when considering the rising cap and the fact that a lot of fourth-liners will be making that kind of money. Also, Acciari would be an easy piece to throw in the mix as part of a bigger trade involving guys like Rust, Rakell, or Karlsson, depending on the destination and the cap situation.
Moving Acciari shouldn’t be otherworldly difficult. The Penguins wouldn’t get a lot in return, but it does help free up a roster spot for one of their younger players, which is more important right now.
Kevin Hayes may still be owed $3.57 million next season by the Penguins in the final season if his contract - the Philadelphia Flyers originally retained half of Hayes’ full $7.14 million salary in a trade with the St. Louis Blues during the summer of 2023 - which is a bit hefty of a cap hit for a 33-year-old who is on the downswing of his career.
But, it’s not like Hayes’s numbers were poor last season. Despite being a healthy scratch for a chunk of the year mid-season, he ended up registering 13 goals and 23 points in 64 games. While it’s a far cry from the peak of his career with the Rangers and the Flyers, his game is still serviceable in a bottom-six role.
Even though his footspeed isn’t blazing by any means, Hayes thinks the game on a high level, and his playmaking smarts were on display at different times throughout 2024-25. He’s also a valuable presence in the locker room, and he would be a solid veteran mentor on an up-and-coming team.
Penguins Have Intriguing Target To Consider From BlackhawksThe Pittsburgh Penguins are currently in the middle of retooling their roster. Due to this, a number of their veteran players have been discussed in the rumor mill this off-season, including Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson.
Still, it would probably take an asset moving out with Hayes in order for him to land elsewhere next season, unless - as suggested with Acciari - he is part of a larger move (which is less likely because of his salary). Or, the Penguins could retain some salary to send Hayes elsewhere, which shouldn’t really hurt them for only this season.
All in all, moving out Hayes shouldn’t be all that difficult, and the Penguins should do it for the same reasons they would do it for Acciari - to give their young players a more legitimate shot at regular NHL ice.
Heinen, 30, was with the Penguins from 2021-23 and was dealt back to Pittsburgh as part of the Marcus Pettersson trade to the Vancouver Canucks last season. In his second stint, he put up just three goals and 11 points in 28 games with Pittsburgh and nine goals and 29 points total on the season.
In keeping true to the pattern of this exercise, it’s not that Heinen is useless in the Penguins’ lineup. The fact of the matter is that his presence could potentially block a younger player from seeing the lineup on a regular basis. He is also a forward who would be easy to put on the waiver wire following training camp, but if any kind of return is out there for him, it may be worth exploring a trade now to get even minimal value.
Heinen still has some lineup versatility, and he put up 17 goals and 36 points with the Boston Bruins just two seasons ago. He may be maddeningly inconsistent and disappear for large stretches, but he may be a worthwhile gamble as a depth piece for a team trying to throw darts at the board and hoping something lands.
Should Two Top Forward Prospects Make Penguins' Opening Night Roster?Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t making a huge push to be Stanley Cup contenders in 2025-26, they have had a relatively active summer up to this point.
His $2.25 million salary for one year isn’t huge by any means, but it’s just big enough that it could present some issues for teams close to the cap. The Penguins likely wouldn’t want to waste a retention slot on Heinen given the fact that guys like Karlsson, Tristan Jarry, and Hayes might be on the block at some point throughout the season as well.
This is one of those, “If it’s there, why not?” scenarios. Again, the value is in freeing up a roster spot, not necessarily in the return.
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Feature Image Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Ronny Mauricio is finding his groove at the big-league level.
The young slugger had his hands all over the Mets’ Sunday night win over the Giants.
Mauricio and Francisco Alvarez started rallies that led to New York’s first three runs -- lining back-to-back singles leading off the third and then a pair of doubles in the top of the fifth.
After the Giants jumped in front on Matt Chapman’s second homer of the night, the Mets responded right back, as Mauricio crushed a slider from All-Star righty Randy Rodriguez into McCovey Cove to even things back up.
A few batters later, Juan Soto pushed the Mets in front with a solo shot of his own.
“He wanted to hit one in the water, he told me since the beginning,” Soto said postgame.
“I knew I hit it well,” Mauricio added. “It felt really good because I saw a couple of home runs of Barry Bonds hitting them into the ocean, so for me to be able to do that too that’s feeling really good.”
And the 24-year-old wasn’t done there, as he led off the top of the ninth ripping an opposite-field double, which eventually led to the pinch-running Luisangel Acuña scoring a big insurance run.
Mauricio finished his first career four-hit showing, three of which went for extra-bases.
“He was incredible, it’s nice to see it,” Carlos Mendoza said. “He continues to get comfortable, he continues to have really good at-bats controlling the strike zone and then doing damage on pitches in the zone.
“We saw it today with the homer against Rodriguez, a pretty tough arm to the pull side and then he goes the other way in that last at-bat after getting into a hitters count, not trying to do too much, just the ability to go the other way -- he made it look easy.”
Mauricio is now up to a .760 OPS on the season. Alvarez has hits in six straight, and three extra base knocks since returning. Mark Vientos delivered the go-ahead hit on Saturday to extend his hitting streak. Brett Baty looks the most comfortable he's been at the big-league level.
Starling Marte has also been red hot since returning from his brief IL stint.
The bottom of the order finally pitching in while the big boppers go through their little funk has shown the depth and potential this lineup can have down the stretch.
“One through nine, I feel like anybody in that lineup can take you deep,” Mendoza said. “That’s why we never feel like we’re out of a game, a couple of guys get on then next thing you know you get the tying run to the plate and anybody can clip anybody.
“We’ve been saying it all year, when those guys are clicking we’re a pretty good offense.”
