Posts

Posted on

Ottawa Senators Short History Of Offer Sheets Isn't Likely To Grow This Summer

Throughout their history, the Ottawa Senators haven’t made much use of the offer sheet strategy.

The one time they did was back in July of 1996 when they successfully signed Washington Capitals goaltender Ron Tugnutt. Then-Senators GM Pierre Gauthier had been dealing with the early stages of what would later become affectionately known in Ottawa as the "Goalie Graveyard."

Gauthier saw an opportunity in Tugnutt, an undervalued asset, and signed him to a one-year deal believed to be worth $400,000. The Capitals refused to match the offer to their third-string guy, and it turned out to be a fantastic move for Ottawa. That season, the Senators improved by 36 points and qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Offer sheets don't happen often, but the tactic paid off big for the St. Louis Blues last summer. The Blues successfully signed defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway to offer sheets, giving up only a second and a third-round pick as compensation.

Both former first-rounders had shown flashes in the NHL, and they were solid in last year's Cup run, but the change of address served them well. Once in St. Louis, they became full-timers: Broberg played 68 games this season, recorded 29 points, and played top four minutes (20:30). Holloway blossomed too, with 63 points in 77 games, finishing third in Blues scoring. Both players had a plus-minus of 21, a fitting number for the Blues who gambled and won.

At least in the short term, it certainly hasn't hurt the Oilers, who just claimed their second straight Western Conference title. Some deals, even offer-sheets, can work out for both teams involved.

The Blues’ success with those offer sheets may have opened the door for other teams to consider taking the same route this summer.

But the strategy can be risky and expensive. You usually need to craft a deal rich and long enough that the player’s current team won’t match. That often means overpaying (looking in your direction, Jesperi Kotkaniemi). And you also need to be prepared to give up significant draft compensation. That's especially true on offers for big stars when they're north of $9.36 million.

OFFER SHEET COMPENSATION TIERS

Image

For Ottawa, their offer-sheet drought isn't likely to end this summer.

Obviously, offer sheets can't be signed until July 1st,  so the compensatory picks are for 2026. They also have to be a team's own picks, not ones they acquire from another team. 

And Ottawa is a little shy in that area.

The Sens have already forfeited their 2026 first-round pick to the NHL for messing up their trade of Evgenii Dadonov to Vegas. Their second-round pick was sent to the Utah Mammoth in the 2023 Jakob Chychrun trade.

Why The Kovalchuk Precedent Won't Help The Ottawa Senators Retrieve Their Forfeited First-Round PickWhy The Kovalchuk Precedent Won't Help The Ottawa Senators Retrieve Their Forfeited First-Round PickIn November 2023, the NHL came down hard on the Ottawa Senators, announcing they would have to forfeit a first-round draft pick due to the mishandling of their July 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Senators still have their own 2026 third-rounder so, in theory, they could offer-sheet a lesser-paid player like Holloway. But honestly, it might be decades before we see the Holloway story repeat itself. If the Sens are excited enough about a player to sign him at $2.34 million, chances are his team is too.

If offer sheets do become fashionable this summer, it's a trend the Sens won't be jumping on anytime soon.

(Banner Image Credit: Lou Capozzola-USA TODAY NETWORK)

Recent Senators News atThe Hockey News Ottawa

The Ottawa Senators’ Quiet Logjam Up Front: What Are They Planning?

Senators Open To Re-Signing Adam Gaudette – But At What Cost?

Senators Hope To Deal Themselves Another Winner At 21

Former Senators Head Coach Enters Ottawa Sport Hall Of Fame

Former Sens Defenceman Officially Signs On To Play In Switzerland

Posted on

Francisco Lindor's two home runs, clutch defense key Mets' 4-2 win over Rockies in Friday's series opener

The Mets started their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on the right foot with a 4-2 win in Friday's opener at Citi Field.

Takeaways

  1. Left-handerDavid Peterson did his job as he allowed one run on five hits while striking out five and walking one in 5.2 IP. Peterson (4-2, 2.69 ERA) threw 59 strikes on 94 pitches and was one pitch away from six shutout frames, but he appeared to miss his spot on an 0-2 offering with two outs in the sixth. Ryan McMahon turned on Peterson's 91 mph fastball over the plate's inner half and for an RBI double, making manager Carlos Mendoza turn to right-hander Huascar Brazobán. Brazobán stranded runners on second and third base when Mickey Moniak flew out to Brandon Nimmo in left field. Peterson plunking Thairo Estrada and third baseman Mark Vientos subsequently missing Brenton Doyle grounder -- both with two outs -- were bad breaks that figure to leave Peterson dwelling on not getting through six full innings, but he ultimately did his job as the Mets (35-22) took care of business against the Rockies (9-48).
  2. Speaking of getting the job done, shortstop Francisco Lindor flashed his bat and glove at pivotal points in the first, third and eighth innings. Offensively, that meant three hits -- and two home runs. Batting righty, Lindor set the tone with a leadoff dinger -- his fifth such long ball of the season -- when he sent Kyle Freeland's 1-2 fastball down the middle at 92 mph over the left-center wall. Two frames later, with the bases loaded and two outs, Lindor's leaping grab of Estrada's line drive to short saved Peterson from what would have likely been a two-run double in the gap, at least. In the eighth with the Mets clinging to a 3-2 lead, Lindor batted lefty and launched Seth Halvorsen's 2-2 pitch at 89 mph just over the left-center railing for the exclamation mark. After a 4-for-25 homestand in the Mets' six games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox from last Friday through Wednesday, Lindor bounced back at the plate with his three-hit evening -- it included a third-inning single -- while upping this year's homer total to 12.
  3. Between Lindor's opening and closing solo shots,Juan Soto and Starling Marte gave the Mets a pair of key runs. Particularly, Soto's RBI double with two outs in third inning off Freeland was a personal boost as the Mets' offseason prize works through early-season struggles. Marte's third home run of the season, a one-out solo shot off Freeland in the fourth inning, gave the Mets and Peterson some cushion. Lindor led the charge, but the right fielder and designated hitter added key run support in moments that should not go overlooked.
  4. The Mets need to take advantage of a soft run in the schedule and, despite dropping Wednesday's finale with Chicago (18-38), did what was required to open this weekend's series against Colorado. After taking two of the three-game set from the White Sox, the Mets must keep their foot on the gas pedal as they get the Rockies two more times before heading out to Los Angeles for a four-game series with the Dodgers (34-22).

Who's the MVP?

Lindor, whose offense and defense were clutch from start to finish.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Rockies continue their series with Saturday's 4:10 p.m. matchup. Right-handers Kodai Senga (5-3, 1.46 ERA) and Antonio Senzatela (1-9, 6.50 ERA) are set to start.

Posted on

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is day-to-day after injuring his left toe in mishap

LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts is out of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup against the New York Yankees with an injured left toe.

Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that the shortstop was having X-rays and is day-to-day.

Roberts said Betts “stubbed his toe, not exactly sure how” after the Dodgers returned from their road trip. “It’s just kind of an accident.”

“I feel confident saying it’s day-to-day,” Roberts added, “but putting on a shoe today was difficult for him.”

The manager said Betts was available to pinch hit in the series opener against Aaron Judge and the Yankees in the rematch of last year’s World Series, won by the Dodgers.

Betts' mishap was reminiscent of first baseman Freddie Freeman slipping in the shower at home in April. He aggravated his surgically repaired right ankle and missed nine games.

“It just keeps coming,” Roberts said, referring to the team's string of injuries, especially to the pitching staff. “It's Murphy's law, but yeah, this is a weird one.”

Posted on

Nuggets' Russell Westbrook has surgery to fix two breaks on his right hand

Russell Westbrook averaged 11.7 points in 24 minutes per night for the Nuggets this postseason. While he was critical in a few wins, he also shot 39.1% for the postseason and had some rough outings as well.

A fractured hand may have contributed to that. Westbrook announced he had surgery on his hand on his blog, World of Westbrook (the Nuggets also confirmed the surgery).

"I'm undergoing surgery on my right hand to fix two breaks that happened during the season. I'm grateful for everyone's support all year and I can't wait to be back out there at 100% soon. The comeback is already in motion."
'
Westbrook has a $3.5 million player option for next season. At age 36, and coming off surgery, he could put himself on the free agent market, but there is unlikely to be more money for him elsewhere, and almost certainly not a better situation. Westbrook is one of those players whose game has been elevated by Nikola Jokic's passing and ability to find him on cuts to the rim or on leak-outs.

Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds a game this season, playing almost 28 minutes a night in the 75 games he played. A Denver team looking to add depth around Jokic likely welcomes him back, but you can be sure Westbrook and his agent are kicking the tires to see if other playoff teams might be willing to pay more or have a bigger role for him.

Posted on

Yankees Injury Notes: Luis Gil throws first bullpen session, Jazz Chisholm Jr. close to return

Prior to the start of their three-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave updates on a few players who are making their way back to the team...

Luis Gil's first bullpen session

Boone gave an encouraging update on 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil on Friday. The young right-hander threw a 15-pitch bullpen at Dodger Stadium and everything went well, according to the Yankees skipper.

It's the first time Gil has thrown off a mound since late February when he suffered a right lat strain during spring training.

Gil's return would boost the Yankees rotation which has weathered the season-ending injury to ace Gerrit Cole. Last season, the 26-year-old went 16-8 while pitching to a 3.55 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. Once Gil returns, the Yankees will have to decide whether they will go with a six-man rotation or put Ryan Yarbrough back into the bullpen as the team's long reliever.

Rehab plan for Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Chisholm is currently playing third base with Double-A Somerset, and Boone wants his infielder to play another minor league game on Saturday while starting at DH on Sunday. Chisholm could return as soon as Tuesday, where he'll play third base when he does, Boone said.

Fernando Cruz update

Cruz (shoulder) will throw a live BP on Saturday and he'll likely be activated when he's eligible next week, if that goes well.

Cruz has been one of the Yankees' best relievers this season. He pitched to a 2.66 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in his 21 appearances and has saved two games. He's struck out 35 batters in only 23.2 innings pitched this season.

Posted on

Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 26, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips.
Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips delivers against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 26. Phillips will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on June 4, Dave Roberts said. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips is scheduled to get Tommy John surgery next week and will miss the rest of the season, manager Dave Roberts announced Friday.

Phillips had missed the last three weeks because of forearm discomfort — and had not progressed in his recovery despite initial optimism that he would only miss the minimum 15 days on the injured list.

“Obviously, very disappointing," Roberts said, acknowledging some unfortunate surprise that what started as a seemingly minor issue became so severe. “More disappointed for Evan, but he just wasn't responding to the rest and then try to ramp back up. Ultimately, that was kind of the advice and the route he decided to go."

Phillips, 30, started this season in the IL while recovering from a partially torn rotator cuff he suffered in last year’s postseason.

He returned in late April and made seven scoreless appearances before getting hurt during the Dodgers' trip to Miami earlier this month.

“I do feel like I can still contribute,” Phillips said at the time of his initial placement on the IL as a “precautionary” move. “But I think what it comes down to is we don’t want to mess around with something in early May.”

Read more:Shaikin: 'Another log on the fire.' Yankees eager to avenge World Series meltdown against Dodgers

The abundance of caution didn’t lead to a better result.

Despite getting plasma-rich platelet injections, according to general manager Brandon Gomes, Phillips’ arm didn’t feel right as he attempted to restart playing catch in recent days.

"As we started getting into it, it wasn't really responding,” Gomes said. “We felt like this could be a possibility. So as he got deeper into the process and it wasn't really getting better, the decision to do it was pretty much evident with our information.”

Asked if Phillips’ elbow injury might have been a byproduct of his offseason shoulder issue, Gomes shrugged.

"It's tough to go down a thousand different rabbit holes."

Without Phillips, the Dodgers will be down one of their most trusted right-handed arms in recent years. Already, the club had been without Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Kirby Yates and Brusdar Graterol because of injuries. While they’re all expected to return in the coming weeks (in Kopech and Yates’ case) and months, Phillips’ absence will nonetheless leave a hole after posting a 2.22 ERA and 45 saves over five seasons with the Dodgers.

“Any time you lose that quality of a reliever, both on the field and the impact he has around the other guys, obviously it's going to hurt,” Gomes said. “But we have a really talented group that's there right now and guys that should be coming back.”

The Dodgers have begun adding externally, acquiring former Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Díaz in a trade Thursday as the extent of Phillips’ diagnosis was becoming clear.

“Part of the Díaz trade was like, 'OK, we can potentially backfill there,'" Gomes said. “[But] that was in the works for a little while. Just kind of exploring different ways to continue to add to our depth.”

Betts out with toe injury

Shortstop Mookie Betts was not in the team’s lineup for Friday’s series opener against the New York Yankees because of a toe injury.

According to Roberts, Betts stubbed his toe after the team returned from this week’s trip on Wednesday. He was initially expected to play Friday, but had trouble putting on his cleats before the game.

Betts will get an X-ray, Roberts said, and is considered day-to-day.

“I think it was at home. It's probably a dresser, nightstand, something like that,” Roberts said of how Betts got hurt. “It's just kind of an accident.”

As for Betts’ prognosis, Roberts said, “hopefully it's benign, it's negative. Not sure, but I feel confident saying it's day-to-day. It's kind of for his tolerance. But putting on a shoe today was difficult for him."

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Posted on

Trout returns to Angels' lineup in a new spot and has a hit in win over Guardians

CLEVELAND (AP) Mike Trout originally expected to return to the Los Angeles Angels' lineup on Monday in Boston.

It turns out the timeline was moved up one series and three days.

Trout was activated off the injured list and went 1 for 5 as the designated hitter in Friday night's 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Angels slugger missed 26 games with soreness in his left knee eventually diagnosed as a bone bruise. The three-time American League MVP had two operations last year on the knee after tearing his meniscus.

“Felt good. Struck out on two at-bats, but other than that felt all right,” said Trout, who batted fifth for the first time in 1,532 starts.

Trout lined a base hit to left-center in the fourth inning. He thought he had a hit in his first at-bat in the second inning, but Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez made a nice grab on a low line drive.

“I thought he had some good at-bats considering that he hadn’t seen live pitching in a while,” manager Ron Washington said. “He hit the ball hard three times today. They made some some good pitches when he struck out. But welcome back, Mike.”

Trout's return also helped the Angels snap a five-game losing streak and improve to 28-30.

It was the first time since Sept. 26, 2011, Trout's rookie season, he started a game hitting lower than third.

Washington is happy to have Trout back, especially since he noted Trout wasn't aggressive in rushing in his return. Washington also knows that Trout isn't ready to return to his normal spot batting second or third.

“He hasn’t seen anything. So when you look at what we have, that’s where he sits,” Washington said before the game. “It doesn't make sense for him to protect (Logan) O'Hoppe. So I'll put Mike behind him to protect O'Hoppe. He's not ready to be at the top of the lineup, especially with those guys up there. As we go along the next couple of days, he's not going to remain fifth.”

The 33-year old Trout is hitting .180 with nine home runs, 18 RBIs and a .712 OPS in 30 games. He will be the designated hitter for the weekend series against the Guardians before possibly returning to right field when the Halos head to Boston on Monday for a three-game series.

Even though Trout has shied away from wanting to be the designated hitter, he has done well in that spot. In eight games this season, he is 9 for 33 (.273) with six home runs and nine RBIs.

Trout said whether or not he plays more games than originally planned at DH the remainder of the season is something that remains to be seen.

“Bone bruises are tricky. I know I am going to be sore but I can deal with it,” he said. “I definitely have to be cautious, especially the first couple games.”

Trout has missed 404 of the Angels’ 665 games - almost 60% - since May 17, 2021, when he tore his calf muscle against Cleveland and was sidelined for the rest of that season. This is the fifth straight year he has had a stint of at least 25 games on the IL.

He missed five weeks of the 2022 season with a back injury, and all but one game after July 3 in 2023 after he broke a bone in his hand on a foul ball. Trout played in 29 games last season before the meniscus injury.

“There’s so many games that any sense of newness or something to make you excited is something that you’d latch on to. So today is definitely a moment like that,” O’Hoppe said about Trout’s return. “He’s the heart of this organization. So we’re happy to have our heart beating again for sure.”

---

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Posted on

Kraken Re-Sign Defenseman Josh Mahura To A Two-Year Extension

May 30, 2025 — SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken have signed defenseman Josh Mahura to a two-year, one-way contract extension worth an average annual value of $907,500, General Manager Jason Botterill announced Friday.

Mahura, 27, played 64 games for the Kraken during the 2024–25 season, posting nine assists, 89 hits (fifth on the team), and 54 blocked shots.

@Seattle Kraken PR

The six-foot, 193-pound defenseman was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the third round (85th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft. He has appeared in 255 NHL games combined between the Kraken, Florida Panthers, and Anaheim Ducks, recording 54 points (10 goals, 44 assists) and 110 penalty minutes. He was part of the Florida Panthers’ 2024 Stanley Cup-winning roster and has 21 career playoff appearances.

Related

Kraken Re-Sign Forward John Hayden To A Two-Year Deal Kraken Re-Sign Forward John Hayden To A Two-Year DealSeattle, WA - The Seattle Kraken have signed veteran forward John Hayden to a two-year, one-way contract extension worth $775,000 annually, beginning with the 2025-26 NHL season, General Manager Jason Botterill announced.

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News or Join the discussion with others in your hockey community on the Seattle Kraken Forum.

**Cover Photo by Caroline Anne | The Hockey News


Posted on

Double Shift Event Week 2 And New Stanley Cup Playoffs Cards In NHL 25 HUT

Double Shift Event Week 2 and new Stanley Cup Playoffs cards have been added to NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team. 

The five new Double Shift master set players are 95 overall Markus Naslund, Jere Lehtinen, Seth Jones, Robyn Regehr, and Frederik Andersen. 

Each MSP can be built for three 92+ Double Shift players and any two 92+ cards. 

The new Double Shift base cars are led by 94 overall Mark Recchi and Sergei Zubov and 93 overall Gustav Forsling and Boone Jenner.

Building a 90 overall Double Shift card costs any three 88+ cards, three 90+ Double Shift cards can be used to build one 92. 

There are also collectible trade in sets to acquire Double Shift cards.

Six new Playoffs cards were added, three from the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, they are led by a 95 overall Connor McDavid and 94 overall Matthew Tkachuk. 93 overall Brett Kulak, Evan Rodrigues, Adam Henrique, and Niko Miikola were also added. 

All new cards are in the video above. 

Players can ask questions or leave comments on the EA NHL 25 Forums here.

Check out Week 1 of the Double Shift Event here. 

For more NHL 25 news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed. For gaming discussion check out our forum.       

Photo Credit: EA SPORTS NHL 

Posted on

Lance McCullers gets 24-hour security after online death threats, some aimed at 5-year-old daughter

MLB: Houston Astros at Texas Rangers

May 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (43) comes off the field after pitching against the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

HOUSTON — Soon after Lance McCullers Jr.’s family received online death threats following a tough start by the Houston Astros’ pitcher, his 5-year-old daughter, Ava, overheard wife Kara talking on the phone about it.

What followed was a painful conversation between McCullers and his little girl.

“She asked me when I came home: ‘Daddy like what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?’” McCullers told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “So, those conversations are tough to deal with.”

McCullers is one of two MLB pitchers whose families have received online death threats this month as internet abuse of players and their families is on the rise. Boston reliever Liam Hendriks took to social media soon after the incident with McCullers to call out people who were threatening his wife’s life and directing “vile” comments at him.

The Astros contacted MLB security and the Houston Police Department following the threats to McCullers. An police spokesperson said Thursday that it remains an ongoing investigation.

McCullers, who has two young daughters, took immediate action after the threats and reached out to the team to inquire about what could be done to protect his family. Astros owner Jim Crane stepped in and hired 24-hour security for them.

It was a move McCullers felt was necessary after what happened.

“You have to at that point,” he said.

Players from around the league agree that online abuse has gotten progressively worse in recent years. Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich, a 13-year MLB veteran and the 2018 NL MVP, said receiving online abuse is “a nightly thing” for most players.

“I think over the last few years it’s definitely increased,” he said. “It’s increased to the point that you’re just: ‘All right, here we go.’ It doesn’t even really register on your radar anymore. I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing. You’re just so used to that on a day-to-day, night-to-night basis. It’s not just me. It’s everybody in here, based on performance.”

And many players believe it’s directly linked to the rise in legalized sports betting.

“You get a lot of DMs or stuff like that about you ruining someone’s bet or something ridiculous like that,” veteran Red Sox reliever Justin Wilson said. “I guess they should make better bets.”

Hendriks, a 36-year-old reliever who previously battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma, said on Instagram that he and his wife received death threats after a loss to the Mets. He added that people left comments saying that they wished he would have died from cancer among other abusive comments.

He later discussed the issue and his decision to speak out about it.

“Enough is enough,” he said. “Like at some point, everyone just like sucking up and dealing with it isn’t accomplishing anything. And we pass along to security. We pass along to whoever we need to, but nothing ends up happening. And it happens again the next night. And so, at some point, someone has to make a stand. And it’s one of those things where the more eyes we get on it, the more voices we get talking about it. Hopefully it can push it in the right direction."

Both the Astros and the Red Sox are working with MLB security to take action against social media users who direct threats toward players and their families. Red Sox spokesperson Abby Murphy added that they’ve taken steps in recent years to make sure player' families are safe during games. That includes security staff and Boston police stationed in the family section at home and dedicated security in the traveling party to monitor the family section on the road.

Murphy said identifying those who make anonymous threats online is difficult, but: “both the Red Sox and MLB have cyber programs and analysts dedicated to identifying and removing these accounts.”

The Astros have uniformed police officers stationed in the family section, a practice that was implemented well before the threats to McCullers and his family.

For some players, online abuse has gotten so bad that they’ve abandoned social media. Detroit All-Star outfielder Riley Greene is one of them, saying he got off because he received so many messages from people blaming him for failed bets.

“I deleted it,” he said of Instagram. “I’m off it. It sucks, but it’s the world we live in, and we can’t do anything about it. People would DM me and say nasty things, tell me how bad of a player I am, and say nasty stuff that we don’t want to hear.”

The 31-year-old McCullers, who returned this year after missing two full seasons with injuries, said dealing with this has been the worst thing that’s happened in his career. He understands the passion of fans and knows that being criticized for a poor performance is part of the game. But he believes there’s a “moral line” that fans shouldn’t cross.

“People should want us to succeed,” he said. “We want to succeed, but it shouldn’t come at a cost to our families, the kids in our life, having to feel like they’re not safe where they live or where they sit at games.”

Houston manager Joe Espada was livid when he learned about the threats to McCullers and his family and was visibly upset when he addressed what happened with reporters.

Espada added that the team has mental health professionals available to the players to talk about the toll such abuse takes on them and any other issues they may be dealing with.

“We are aware that when we step on the field, fans expect and we expect the best out of ourselves,” Espada said this week. “But when we are trying to do our best and things don’t go our way while we’re trying to give you everything we got and now you’re threatening our families and kids - now I do have a big issue with that, right? I just did not like it.”

Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, a 14-year MLB veteran, hasn’t experienced online abuse but was appalled by what happened to McCullers. If something like that happened to him he said it would change the way he interacts with fans.

“Now some fans, real fans, they’re gonna pay for that, too,” he said. "Because if I was him, I wouldn’t take a picture or sign anything for noboby because of that one day.”

McCullers wouldn’t go that far but admitted it has changed his mindset.

“It does make you kind of shell up a little bit,” he said. “It does make you kind of not want to go places. I guess that’s just probably the human reaction to it.”

While most players have dealt with some level of online abuse in their careers, no one has a good idea of how to stop it.

“I’m thankful I’m not in a position where I have to find a solution to this,” Tigers’ pitcher Tyler Holton said. “But as a person who is involved in this, I wish this wasn’t a topic of conversation.”

White Sox outfielder Mike Tauchman is disheartened at how bad player abuse has gotten. While it’s mostly online, he added that he’s had teammates that have had racist and homophobic things yelled at them during games.

“Outside of just simply not having social media I really don’t see that getting better before it just continues to get worse,” he said. “I mean, I think it’s kind of the way things are now. Like, people just feel like they have the right to say whatever they want to whoever they want and it’s behind a keyboard and there’s really no repercussions, right?”

---

AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick and AP Sports Writers Jimmy Golen, Kyle Hightower, Larry Lage and Steve Megargee contributed to this report.

Posted on

Mets' Carlos Mendoza, David Stearns contextualize Francisco Alvarez's struggles; Ronny Mauricio 'hitting lasers'

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns held media availabilities before Friday's 7:10 p.m. game against the Colorado Rockies on SNY. In addition to injury updates, there were comments on catcher Francisco Alvarez's 2025 season struggles, infielder Ronny Mauricio's hot Triple-A start and the MLB trade deadline.

Francisco Alvarez will 'continue to get opportunities'

After Luis Torrens started Wednesday's 9-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Alvarez returns to the lineup in the eighth spot and enters Friday slashing .243/.341/.311 with one home run and seven RBI through 22 games.

"We saw he was having a hard time against velo, but I'm going to continue to say we need him and I'm going to continue to give him chances," Mendoza said. "Yeah, Luis is playing well. But Alvy is a really good player, too.

"So, whether it's lefties, righties, he's going to continue to get opportunities and he's in there today."

The Mets activated Alvarez on April 25 from the 10-day injured list, where he was placed on March 27 due to his hamate fracture. Alvarez returned to the Mets after a rehab assignment that started April 9 with Low-A St. Lucie before progressing to Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse.

"A player who made a very significant swing change in the offseason, lost all of spring training -- or almost all of spring training -- got off to a late start and has probably been fighting himself to this point," Stearns said. "I think he hasn't produced at the level he's accustomed to producing.

"He's working really hard to continue to refine his swing, to get it to a place that he feels really comfortable with, and I think we all would expect that we're going to see better production going forward than what we've seen in his relatively brief stint since he's come off the IL."

Ronny Mauricio 'hitting lasers'

Through seven games with Triple-A Syracuse, Mauricio is slashing .560/.586/.960 with three home runs and seven RBI.

What does Mauricio, who missed the 2024 season with a torn right ACL before starting this year with St. Lucie and Syracuse, have to do for a look?

"He's doing a great job," Stearns said. "No. 1 is health and getting him back and building up the volume, and we're continuing to do that. But any time you see players consistently hitting lasers all over the field, which is what he's doing right now in Triple-A, you pay attention. We're paying attention and we'll continue to monitor that and see where it goes."

"I think we're most focused on him getting the reps under him, getting the volume, hopefully continuing to swing a really hot bat," Stearns added. "Once we get to that point, he gives us something to think about."

2025 MLB trade deadline

July 31 at 6 p.m. is still two months away, but moves are already being made. This week, the Cincinnati Reds traded 2023 All-Star reliever Alexis Diaz, Edwin Diaz's brother, to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With a good chunk of the big leagues appearing to be unlikely for postseason contention, Stearns was asked about his thoughts on whether the trade deadline could move earlier than normal.

"I haven't seen anything yet or heard anything yet that makes me suggest that's going to be an unusually early period, but that can certainly change if one club decides that they want to engage early and could spur action," he said. "But to this point, it certainly seems that that's going to be a little bit more of a traditional, later-in-the-process-type deadline."

Posted on

Mets Mailbag: Is there a fix to team's struggles with runners in scoring position?

SNY's Andy Martino is responding to and breaking down answers to Mets questions from readers. Here's the latest...

Is there anything under the hood about the Mets' approach with runners in scoring position this season that you observed/have found out from your reporting that has led to their poor numbers? What, if any, changes do you expect to see to remedy this? - @John_Uhen

Because you asked this fine question, I relayed it to David Stearns during his media availability. Better to hear from him than me, right? Here’s the exchange:

Little ol’ me: Do you have a personal belief on the runners in scoring position issue generally -- that it's statistical randomness, or if there's something about an approach? When you have a team that's struggling with that for a period, is there anything that can be done, or is it just one of those things that resolves itself?

Stearns: I think there is a skill in slowing down the moment, and I think there is a skill in handling pressure. And in putting yourself in the best frame of mind to succeed in those moments when the intensity is a little higher. Once you do all of that, I think the result is still somewhat random, and there are still smaller sample sizes by nature with runners in scoring position.

With that said, we clearly have not been good in that spot over the course of the year, and more recently, over the last 10 days, two weeks. And so I do think we have to start from the position of, is there something we can control? Is there something we can look at to get better? We're certainly doing that work, that investigation. Our players are extremely aware of this. And sometimes you wonder, is that actually a good thing or a bad thing to be as aware of this as they all are?

So yes, I think performing in high-pressure situations is a skill that can be learned and improved over time and with experience.

May 24, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) hits a two run double in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
May 24, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) hits a two run double in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Juan Soto should lead off. Thoughts? - @GF1134755

It’s a logical thought, but Lindor might have something to say about it. He does awfully well in that spot, too.

Which team smells better the Mets or the Yankees - @sotoobsessedNYY

The smells of the locker room are typically sweat, cologne and sometimes Icy Hot. Neither the Yankees nor the Mets hold a clear advantage in this space.

RONNY MAURICIO!!!!

We got a ton of Ronny Mauricio questions. Like, where will he fit? This will resolve itself. Not every prospect pans out, and if Mauricio turns out to be among those who does stick, someone else won't. The Mets have depth on their side here. He’s not yet physically ready to play in the big leagues, the Mets say.

Posted on

Yankees Mailbag: Why Jazz Chisholm Jr. is being asked to take reps at third base

SNY's Andy Martino is responding to and breaking down answers to Yankees questions from readers. Here's the latest...

You think the Yanks are getting Jazz Chisholm Jr. reps at 3B because they think the 2B market at the deadline might have more options than 3B does? - @MaxMannis

Yes. That is exactly the reason. And an under-discussed aspect of this story is how admirably team-first Chisholm is acting in this situation. It stretches back to last summer, when he learned the nuances of a difficult position during a pennant race and postseason. Even into October, Chisholm was still working to master the cuts, relays and other aspects of a job that he had never before done.

Asked again this year by the manager -- who knows firsthand how difficult it is to play third base at a high level -- to leave a more comfortable spot at second base, Chisholm is doing it. As a result, the Yankees have the option to trade for a middle infielder.

It’s hard to imagine how on earth this guy left Miami with anything other than a sterling reputation.

Will the Yankees' concerns about the luxury tax cause them to move salary in order to take back significant salary at the trade deadline? - @FrankLo9

It’s true that the Yankees' post-Juan Soto spree left them at the limits of their willingness to spend. In fact, it was no sure thing that they would stretch for Paul Goldschmidt until folks in baseball operations made a strong case for doing so.

But that was the offseason budget. Teams almost always leave payroll in reserve for the trade deadline, and the Yankees are always aggressive when they feel they have the chance to win. I would not expect that to change in a year in which a championship is a reachable goal.

I know you have reported on this before, but any updates on Cashman’s future with the Yankees? Contract is up after next season - @Rick12_85

That’s true, I reported in my book last year that many of Brian Cashman’s colleagues expect this contract to be his last as GM. I asked Cashman directly about it before writing that, and he would not confirm or deny.

Admittedly, I have not followed up with him recently. But I can tell you that the general expectation among many of those around him remains the same. It does not mean that anything is settled, but Cashman believes that he has plenty of “pretty f---ing good” people in the office group who could serve as heirs.

As previously reported, VP of player development Kevin Reese is seen internally as a leading candidate. Cashman also holds a high opinion of assistant GM Michael Fishman and director of baseball operations Matt Ferry. He’ll almost certainly have a strong voice in naming a successor, whenever that day comes.