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Why did Red Sox release Walker Buehler? Craig Breslow explains decision

Why did Red Sox release Walker Buehler? Craig Breslow explains decision originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It didn’t come as a surprise when the Red Sox moved Walker Buehler to the bullpen last week given the right-handed starter struggled in the rotation. But it was expected the two-time MLB All-Star would be given some time to gain comfortability in the ‘pen seeing how he started 162 of 164 games since 2018.

That was before circumstances changed, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said after the Red Sox released Buehler on Friday afternoon.

“Our hope and our expectation was we were going to be able to provide enough runway to give him a chance to settle in and transition into that role and then contribute down the stretch and get some meaningful outs for us,” Breslow said before the Red Sox opened a three-game series against the Pirates. “But circumstances changed.”

A key factor, as Breslow indicated, was Boston placing Richard Fitts (right arm neuritis) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. In turn, the Red Sox needed a starter for the back end of their rotation and selected promising left-hander Payton Tolle from Triple-A Worcester.

Tolle is the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox farm system, according to MLB Pipeline. He’s scheduled to make his MLB debut opposite Pirates superstar Paul Skenes at Fenway Park on Friday.

Red Sox setup man Justin Slaten was activated from the injured list Thursday, as well. Having not pitched since late May, Slaten’s return could help an already-dominant bullpen. He has a 3.47 ERA in 24 games this season.

Breslow admitted it was a tough decision to release Buehler, who the Red Sox signed to a one-year, $21 million deal just eight months ago. Buehler opened the season third in the starting rotation behind left-handed ace Garrett Crochet and right-hander Tanner Houck, whose mid-May injury opened the spot right behind Crochet.

Buehler, however, couldn’t take advantage. He went six-plus innings in eight of his 22 starts and the Red Sox went 12-10 in those contests. The 31-year-old departs Boston after compiling a 5.45 ERA in 112.1 innings across 23 games.

When asked why the Red Sox opted to outright release Buehler as opposed to designating him for assignment and thus give the ballclub time to plot its next move, Breslow expressed it was in fairness to Buehler.

“Just trying to be mindful and respectful of who he is and what he’s accomplished,” Breslow said.

Buehler now has an opportunity to latch on with a team in the midst of a playoff push while Boston believes the arrival of Tolle and return of Slaten to pay dividends down the stretch.

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Malcolm Brogdon reportedly draws interest from Warriors, Knicks, Timberwolves

Malcolm Brogdon's landing spot for next season remains on hold because of situations out of his control.

Brogdon remains one of the best free agent guards still on the market — he was the Sixth Man of the Year just two seasons ago. His stock has slipped due to injuries, which limited him to just 63 combined games over the last two seasons (in Portland and Washington). However, when healthy last season, he averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. This is a low-risk opportunity for teams, a healthy Brogdon could provide quality depth to a team that sees itself as a contender.

The Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves have expressed some interest in Brogdon, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. However, in all three cases, the teams are waiting on other situations to play out before signing Brogdon (or any guard). With the Warriors, that is the Jonathan Kuminga free agency drama.

"In Brogdon's case, Golden State's long-running stalemate with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has contributed to the uncomfortable wait. We won't know if the Warriors emerge with more serious interest in Brogdon until the state of their roster and luxury tax bill becomes clear in the wake of a resolution to Kuminga's fate and the subsequent signings that have been long anticipated."

Once the Kuminga situation is resolved, the Warriors will know how much money they have to spend on expected signings such as Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Will Richard (a second-round pick). Brogdon may or may not be one of the players signed.

With the Knicks and Timberwolves, the situation keeping Brogdon in limbo is the federal gambling investigation tied to Malik Beasley. He is no longer a "target" in that investigation — meaning a principal at the heart of the case — but remains a "subject" tied to the investigation and potentially could be charged with a crime. Both New York and Minnesota have been in touch with Beasley, who was second in Sixth Man of the Year voting for the Pistons last season. With there still being a month to go before the start of training camp, the Knicks and Timberwolves (and Pistons, and other teams with interest in Beasley) can wait to see how things play out, then make their move later. Brogdon could be a fallback for those teams.

That leaves a quality guard waiting for his opportunity. He's going to end up signing for the veteran minimum wherever he lands, a step down from the two-year, $45 million deal (from the Pacers) that he just completed.

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Juan Ayuso bounces back to claim first Vuelta stage win as Træen stays in red

  • Spaniard triumphs after Thursday collapse in Pyrenees

  • Torstein Træen retains overall lead from Vingegaard

The Spaniard Juan Ayuso showed a remarkable recovery after his collapse in the Pyrenees only 24 hours previously to go it alone on the climb to the finish and triumph in stage seven of the Vuelta a España.

Torstein Træen retains the red jersey, holding a 2min 33sec lead over Jonas Vingegaard, who moved from fifth to second in the standings but without closing the gap to the Norwegian.

Continue reading...
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Payton Tolle, Jake Cronenworth and Sal Stewart

FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS

Payton Tolle (SP Red Sox): Rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues

We’re getting two top pitching prospect debuts Friday with the Mets calling up Jonah Tong and the Red Sox promoting left-hander Payton Tolle to face the Pirates, Tong’s already been picked up in most active leagues, but he comes highly recommend. Tolle, one of the year’s biggest surprises in the minors, probably isn’t quite as good of a short-term bet, but he’s still well worth trying. A 2024 second-round pick out of TCU, Tolle made his pro debut at High-A Greenville this season, opening up with a 3.62 ERA and a 79/14 K/BB in 49 2/3 innings over 11 outings. That earned him a bump to Double-A, where he posted a 1.67 ERA and a 37/7 K/BB in 27 innings. He’d since moved up to Triple-A, where he had a 3.60 ERA and a 17/2 K/BB. It’s not quite as impressive as Tong’s resume, but his overall 3.04 ERA, 36.5% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate is still pretty remarkable.

A low-90s guys in college, Tolle has been working at 94-98 mph this year and often reaching 90 mph on his cutter. His slider is the best of his three breaking balls, and his changeup isn’t bad, though he hasn’t used it much in Triple-A. Standing 6-foot-6, he gets about as much extension on his pitches as anyone in the majors, making everything function as though it’s a little faster than it actually is. His low arm angle would seem to give righties a pretty good look at his pitches, but one wouldn’t know it from the numbers. Both lefties and righties have batted .203 against him this year. Righties have slugged .327, compared to .339 for lefties.

The Red Sox will be cautious with Tolle’s workload, though since he’s at just 91 2/3 innings, he shouldn’t have to be shut down at any point. Mostly, it’s an in-game issue; Tolle hasn’t thrown more than 90 pitches in an outing this year and has been pulled before hitting 75 in each of his last eight starts. It’s probably going to make it tough for him to complete five innings against major league hitters, and he might actually have more fantasy value if the Red Sox gave him the Bubba Chandler treatment and brought him in mid-game. Still, best to pick him up and see what happens.

Jake Cronenworth (2B Padres): Rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues

There’s definitely nothing sexy about grabbing Cronenworth. He doesn’t steal bases, he doesn’t really hit for average and he has only middling power, which has produced 10 homers and 47 RBI in 108 games this season. What he does have is seven games against the Rockies over the next 2 1/2 weeks, and barring an injury, there’s a good chance he’ll start every one of them. He and Ryan O’Hearn, who is 32% rostered at the moment, make for great short-term pickups who can probably be dropped come Sept. 16.

It’s not just the Rockies, either. The Padres are in Minnesota this weekend and then get the Orioles at home in the first half of next week. Their other non-Rockies series comes at home against the Reds. That’s a lot of mediocre arms to take advantage of. One probably doesn’t want Cronenworth rostered over a Jackson Holliday or Xavier Edwards for the rest of the season, but it’s worth making the switch now and figuring out something else for the final two weeks.

Sal Stewart (3B Reds): Rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues

The Mets and Red Sox are going for it, and it’s time for the Reds to do the same and bring up their No. 1 prospect in Stewart. Pretty strictly a third baseman in the first half of the season, Stewart has recently been getting starts at second and first as the Reds try to figure out how best to fit him in. Even if he’s cooled off this week, Ke’Bryan Hayes’ solid play for his new team has made third base less of a concern. Second base is the team’s biggest issue right now, and though Spencer Steer has been better of late, the Reds still rank near the bottom of the league in their production at first base.

Stewart opened this year by hitting a fine .306/.377/.473 in 80 games for Double-A Chattanooga, but he’s really taken off since a promotion to Triple-A Louisville; he’s batting .313/.397/.642, and he has as many homers (10) in 156 plate appearances for his new team as he did in 329 for Chattanooga. He’s striking out just 16 percent of the time, and he’s even gone 17-for-20 stealing bases.

It’d be a big mistake if Stewart isn’t the Reds’ offensive addition when rosters expand Monday. They probably shouldn’t even wait out the weekend. Even if they don’t trust him defensively at second, they have the ability to plug in Gavin Lux there and use Stewart mostly at DH. There’s no lack of options for a team playing so many averagish bats. Maybe Stewart won’t be a big upgrade immediately, but he’s earned a shot, and in a nice situation for hitters, he should be picked up in mixed leagues when it comes.

Waiver Wire Quick Hits

- The Brewers’ Abner Uribe is still available in more than half of Yahoo leagues and could rate as a top-10 closer while Trevor Megill is down with a flexor strain.

- David Hamilton is getting an opportunity at second base against right-handers and is 8-for-18 with a homer and a steal in Boston’s last six games. Those looking for steals might want to give him a try. Hamilton is 18-for-23 swiping bases in 164 plate appearances this season.

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Islanders Prospect Daniil Prokhorov Signs Deal With Dynamo Moscow

New York Islanders prospect Daniil Prokhorov has signed a two-year, two-way deal with the KHL's Dynamo Moscow. 

The 18-year-old second-round pick (No. 45) by the Islanders in June was with Dynamo on a Professional Tryout, which expired on Friday. 

So, what does this new deal mean for Prokhorov?

The Russian forward, who had played the last two seasons in the MHL, a junior league in Russia, had several options for where to play during the 2025-26 season. 

He could have played in the MHL again. He could have signed with a KHL team or, after being selected by the OHL's Sarnia Sting in the second round of the 2025 CHL import Draft, he could have come over to North America.

There was a strong belief that Prokhorov would be coming to Sarnia, but it was also a bit of a shock to see him, at such a young age, with no VHL experience (KHL's AHL), get the PTO opportunity.

Here's what Dynamo's head coach Alexey Kudashov had to say about Prokhorov (translated):

"Everything is going fine. Some of them played matches in the youth team, and some are playing for Dynamo Saint Petersburg. Everyone is in the squad, everyone is preparing, and everyone is in good shape. The question is whether someone will need a little more time, like, for example, Prokhorov. He is a very young guy and is only taking his first steps in adult hockey. It so happened that he practically did not play in the VHL. Everything is new for him now. All the players are ready; the only question is when the dream will start to be realized." (H/t Dynamo Website)

Due to his role on the PTO as a fourth liner and 13th forward, it is likely that Prokhorov plays a majority of this season, at least, in the VHL. Perhaps next year, he can secure a spot on a KHL team. 

Once his contract comes to an end -- that would be following the 2026-27 season -- Prokhorov will have a choice to come over and join the Islanders organization or stay in Russia. 

If Prokhorov does choose to come over, he'll be 20 and eligible to play in the AHL. 

There are ways for players to get out of contracts. Still, the expectation is that he'll be in Russia for the next two seasons and hopefully, if his development goes well, prove to be a valuable prospect and potentially one of the steals of the 2025 NHL Draft. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Giants' All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez recommended to have Tommy John surgery

Giants' All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez recommended to have Tommy John surgery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As the Giants make one last playoff push, they sustained a massive blow on Friday.

All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez has been recommended to have season-ending Tommy John surgery by multiple doctors, the Giants announced a few hours before opening a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Oracle Park.

Rodriguez will decide on the course of treatment this weekend.

The Giants placed Rodriguez on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday due to a right elbow sprain, and now he’s likely to miss the entire 2026 season if he undergoes surgery.

The 25-year-old Rodriguez was in the midst of a breakout season when the elbow injury initially popped up. In 50 2/3 innings in 50 appearances this season, he posted a 1.78 ERA with 67 strikeouts and four saves.

Before the MLB All-Star break, Rodriguez was practically unhittable, posting a 0.86 ERA in 41 games. But things didn’t go well after his first Midsummer Classic nod, as he racked up a 6.00 ERA in just nine games.

The Giants likely will use Ryan Walker as the primary closer with Rodriguez done for the season and Camilo Doval in New York after a trade-deadline deal to the Yankees.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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The Rangers' Success This Upcoming Season Could Dictate Artemi Panarin's Future

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers’ success during the 2025-26 season could dictate a lot of things for the organization. 

Artemi Panarin is entering the final season of a seven-year, $81.5 million contract and is in need of a new contract extension. 

Is signing Panarin to a long-term contract extension the direction the Rangers want to go in? 

After missing the playoffs last season, the future of the Rangers seems murky. It’s unclear if last season’s performance was just a fluke or if the Blueshirts are heading toward a downward spiral. 

If their struggles continue, NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes that Panarin could be on the trade block. 

However, if the Rangers are able to bounce back and jump into Stanley Cup contention, Seravalli is under the impression that the Rangers and Panarin will finalize a deal. 

“I could for sure see (a trade) happening if the Rangers are out (of playoff contention),” Seravalli said. “But I’m going to tell you this: I don’t think the Rangers are going to be out. I have the Rangers as a playoff team. I have the Rangers as a bounce-back team.

“New coach, new environment, new mood... I think they can reinvent themselves in a pretty big way this upcoming season. I've got the Rangers in, and if the Rangers are in, I would assume at some point that means finding a deal for Artemi Panarin that makes sense on an extension.”

It’s unknown if the Rangers and Panarin’s camp have engaged in any sort of contract discussions. 

Regardless, Panarin is a cornerstone piece of the franchise, and if the Rangers are able to get back on track, there’s no doubt the 33-year-old forward should be in New York for the foreseeable future.

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Brewers at Blue Jays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, stats for August 29

It's Friday, August 29 and the Brewers (83-52) are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (78-56). Freddy Peralta is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against Shane Bieber for Toronto.

This is the first and only series of the season between Toronto and Milwaukee. Over the last six games, the two are opposites with the Brewers at 2-4 and the Blue Jays at 4-2. Milwaukee has lost or tied its opponent for three straight series after being one of the hottest teams in all of baseball.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Brewers at Blue Jays

  • Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
  • Time: 7:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNWI, Sportsnet, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Brewers at the Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Brewers (+114), Blue Jays (-136)
  • Spread:  Blue Jays -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for August 29, 2025: Freddy Peralta vs. Shane Bieber
    • Brewers: Freddy Peralta, (15-5, 2.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Blue Jays: Shane Bieber, (1-0, 1.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 1.50 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Blue Jays

  • Toronto is 4-2 over the next 6 games
  • Milwaukee is 2-4 over the last 6 games
  • In the Blue Jays' last 10 games where they've held a rest advantage over their opponents the Under is 7-3
  • The Blue Jays are 1-9 against the Run Line on the last 10 occasions that they've had a rest advantage
  • The Brewers have won 4 of their last 5 at American League teams

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Brewers and the Blue Jays

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Brewers and the Blue Jays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Brewers at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Cardinals at Reds Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 29

It's Friday, August 29 and the Cardinals (66-69) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (68-66). Matthew Liberatore is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against Zack Littell for Cincinnati.

The Cardinals are Reds are tied for the season series at four games apiece as they prepare for this three-game series. Both enter on bit of losing skids with St. Louis at 2-4 over the last six games and Cincinnati at 1-6 over the past seven (0-3 in the last three). The Reds are 4.0 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot while the Cardinals are 6.5 back.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Reds

  • Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: Great American Ball Park
  • City: Cincinnati, OH
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNMW, FDSNOH

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Cardinals at the Reds

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Cardinals (+106), Reds (-126)
  • Spread:  Reds -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Reds

  • Pitching matchup for August 29, 2025: Matthew Liberatore vs. Zack Littell
    • Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore, (6-11, 4.27 ERA)
      Last outing: 8.31 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Reds: Zack Littell, (9-8, 3.58 ERA)
      Last outing: 9.00 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Reds

  • The two are tied at 4-4 on the season
  • Cincinnati is 0-3 in the last 3 games and 1-6 in the past 7
  • St. Louis is 2-4 in the last 6 games
  • The Over is 7-2-1 for the Cardinals' and the Reds' last 5 games combined
  • The Cardinals have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 games
  • The Cardinals have lost their last 3 games against teams with better records

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals and the Reds

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Cardinals and the Reds:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Blackhawks Ranked 2nd In The Athletic’s New Pipeline Rankings

The Chicago Blackhawks have a ton of great young players in the organization. Some of them have reached the NHL, some are hoping to do that in 2025-26, and some are going to get that opportunity in the years to come. 

Where does Chicago's pipeline rank amongst the rest of the NHL? Well, Corey Pronman of The Athletic ranked every one in the league from 1-32. His criteria for players to be eligible are that they are 22 years old or younger as of September 15th, 2025. This basically includes every player selected from the 2021 to 2025 NHL Drafts. 

Pronman ranked the Chicago Blackhawks' pipeline second in the league. They only trail the San Jose Sharks. With Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Kevin Korchinski eligible for this list despite their runs in the NHL, it is fitting that the Blackhawks have a high ranking. 

His ranking, even though it includes the top guys who aren't necessarily considered true prospects anymore, has guys like Nick Lardis and Ethan del Mastro as honorable mentions, rather than making the top 15. Anything can happen, but the Blackhawks appear to be higher on those guys than Pronman is in his rankings. 

Players like Macklin Celebrini, Sam Dickinson, and Michael Misa have San Jose in the same conversation as Chicago, one spot ahead of them. That feeds into the idea that these two teams could be powerhouse Western Conference rivals in the 2030s. 

When you think about what the Blackhawks roster is going to look like in 2026-27, a lot of the players on this list are projected to be on it. They currently have veterans on the team, but how many of them are included in the long-term plans? Very few. 

Chicago's future success mostly comes down to the play of Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, and Artyom Levshunov as the core. How other players like Sacha Boisvert, Oliver Moore, Kevin Korchinski, and other depth players fit in around them could push them back into playoff contention. 

When you are really high on a list like this, it probably means that there haven't been many wins in recent years, but it could mean that the ship is going to turn around soon. Most evaluators, Pronman included, believe that the Chicago Blackhawks have a bright future. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Jose Alvarado stretchered off floor of FIBA AmeriCup Game, after game says, 'your boy good'

Jose Alvarado had to be stretchered off the court from an AmeriCup game Thursday night in a scary moment for himself and the Pelicans.

Alvarado had led Puerto Rico to overtime against Argentina by scoring 25 points (7-of-12 from 3). In that extra time, Alvarado was battling for a rebound, pulled it free and fell to the floor in the process, landing flat on his back and instantly started grabbing at his lower back in pain.

He was down for some time and eventually had to be stretchered off the court back to the locker room. The Pelicans' guard then posted this on his Instagram story.

Hopefully this does turn out to be nothing, the Pelicans have had enough bad injury luck in recent years and don't need their reserve guard and fan favorite out with a back issue.

Argentina went on to beat Puerto Rico to advance to the AmeriCup semifinals against Canada. In the other semifinal, a USA team led by Javonte Smart, Zachary Auguste and Langston Galloway will face Brazil.

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Former Canadiens Player Is Still A Hab At Heart

Josh Gorges had to take the path less travelled to get to the NHL. He went undrafted and worked tirelessly to get an opportunity as a free agent signing, which he obtained with the San Jose Sharks organization. During the 2004-05 lockout, he played with their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Barons, and made his NHL debut in 2005-06, skating in 49 games with the big club. The following year, after playing 47 games with the Sharks, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, along with a first-round pick in the 2007 draft (which would become Max Pacioretty), for Craig Rivet and a 2008 fifth-round pick.

It was in Montreal that he became a regular NHL player and a significant cog in the team’s defense. He was never a big points producer, but he was an effective defensive blueliner, an expert shot-blocker, and the kind of player who doesn’t think twice about sacrificing his body for the team.

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In the eight seasons he played with the Habs, he developed into quite a leader, so much so that when a young Brendan Gallagher joined the team, the veteran agreed to have the rookie move in with his family, a time the Canadiens alternate captain remembers fondly.

Gorges, who went back home to British Columbia after playing four seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, had been coaching his sons in minor hockey and served as an assistant coach with the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL for five years. He was recently appointed as an assistant coach with his hometown Kelowna Rockets in the WHL, and gave The Gazette’s Stu Cowan a phone interview following his nomination.

Cowan reports that Gorges has no regrets about blocking his trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs back in the 2014 offseason. After eight years of bleeding red, white, and blue, he didn’t see himself crossing over to the Canadiens' rivals and was ultimately traded to the Buffalo Sabres instead. He does admit that spending four years losing was not the way he would have liked to end his career, but knowing what he does now, he still wouldn’t have agreed to the trade to Toronto.

Unsurprisingly, he still considers the Canadiens as his team, he wants to be remembered as a Montreal Canadiens player, and they remain the team he roots for. Gorges also added that he’s earned nothing but good things about coach Martin St-Louis from the likes of Shea Weber, Carey Price, and Brendan Gallagher, but he’s clearly not envious of the Habs’ bench boss since he doesn’t aspire to be an NHL coach, at least not for now.

The former blueliner was able to win a Memorial Cup with the Rockets in 2002-03, and now that the team is hosting this year’s tournament, he’s hoping to win another one behind the bench. In Kelowna, he’ll also get to coach Canadiens’ prospect Hayden Paupanekis, a third-round pick at the latest draft.

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Red Sox announce release of right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler

Red Sox announce release of right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Once viewed as a veteran starting pitcher who would help the Red Sox in their pursuit of meaningful late-season baseball, right-hander Walker Buehler won’t be in Boston to see it.

The Red Sox released Buehler eight months after they signed him to a one-year, $21 million deal, the team announced Friday afternoon before opening a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A two-time MLB All-Star, Buehler started the season third in Boston’s rotation behind left-handed ace Garrett Crochet and right-hander Tanner Houck. Houck was placed on the injured list with a right flexor pronator strain on May 13, which figured to open the door for Buehler to cement himself as a top-of-rotation complement for the lefty Crochet.

Unfortunately for both the two-time World Series champion and they Red Sox, Buehler failed to deliver on those expectations.

Buehler went 7-7 with a 5.40 ERA in 22 starts for the Red Sox. Boston was 12-10 in games Buehler started, prompting manager Alex Cora to demote Buehler to the bullpen last week. While a change wasn’t unexpected, and was a move Buehler understood, he gave up two runs on two hits in 2 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium last Friday.

It marked his final appearance for the Red Sox, who opted not to use Buehler in any of its four games against the Baltimore Orioles. Boston swept the four-game series with three one-run wins at Camden Yards.