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Mets ready to embrace Game 162 as playoff hopes remain in the balance

The Mets have been here before.

It was just under a year ago that the Mets went into Atlanta the day after the regular season ended, needing a victory to make the postseason. Mets fans know what happened that day: Francisco Lindor powered the Amazin's to a win in the first game of their doubleheader with the Braves, en route to a playoff run that culminated in an NLCS berth.

This year was supposed to be different. They weren't supposed to need Game 162 to determine their playoff fate. But here they are, in Miami, hoping they can book a ticket to Los Angeles for a date with the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. Although the Mets don't have control of their playoff destiny anymore, many in the locker room are upbeat after their crucial 5-0 win over the Marlins on Saturday.

"You feel good, obviously not ideal. We put ourselves in that position," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the feeling after the win. "You got to 162 with a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Enjoy today and get ready for tomorrow."

After a deflating 6-2 loss to the Marlins on Friday, the Mets bounced back in a big way, getting six strong innings from Clay Holmes while Pete Alonso provided the offense. The slugger drove in the game's first run in the first inning and tacked on with a solo shot in the third, and the Mets didn't look back.

"Just felt good today, felt like I had good at-bats all day," Alonso said of his performance. "Hopefully, I carry this feeling into tomorrow. It's our last day and want to be at my best."

Alonso was donning eye black on Saturday, similar to what Lindor does every game. The right-hander told SNY's Steve Gelbs after the game that he took something from his teammates to the field with him. 

"I'm wearing Juan Soto's socks, I put on Francisco Lindor's eye black, and then I used Brandon Nimmo's lotion," he said. "All my teammates, really thankful for the good vibes." 

Alonso spoke to the media after Friday's loss and was eerily calm and chipper, considering the opportunity his team had lost. Now they have to hope the Reds lose a game in the final two days. Of course, they'll need a win on Sunday and hope to get a similar performance from Sean Manaea as they got from Holmes. But as Alonso put it, "just get it done, no matter how."

That silent confidence Alonso exudes has been present with this team all season. Through the ups and downs, the veterans of this team understand what it takes to navigate a 162-game season, and it's starting to show in these final days. They handled business on Saturday, look to do the same on Sunday, and see where the chips lie after that. 

Many of this year's Mets, Alonso included, were on that 2024 squad that clinched a postseason spot on the final day. Perhaps that's why they seem ready to do it again this year. Mendoza believes the team can lean on that experience and is ready to go to battle.

"I saw it last night after the game when some of the guys were down, understandable," Mendoza said. "You saw those guys come in today. I’ve been saying it, there’s a sense of urgency. Obviously, we haven’t translated that onto the field. Here we are, 162, embrace it. Ready to go."

"Wouldn’t have it any other way," Alonso said of the season coming down to the final day. "This is exciting baseball. Everyone’s excited for the challenge tomorrow. We're excited to get to the yard tomorrow."

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Clay Holmes won't relish clutch six-inning shutout of Marlins until Mets 'finish the job'

Before the Mets embarked on their season-altering road series against the Marlins with fragile postseason hopes, manager Carlos Mendoza knew that Clay Holmes was going to take the ball for the first of two critical weekend games.

The high stakes were established. The pressure to perform was immense. No longer in full control of their playoff destiny, the Mets desperately needed their starter at his very best to ensure a meaningful Game 162 in Miami. And much to the team's delight, Holmes obliged.

While the Mets couldn't have reasonably expected flawlessness from Holmes, that wish was nearly fulfilled. The converted reliever shoved in his final start of the regular season, delivering six scoreless innings of one-hit ball in a clutch 5-0 win over the Marlins at loanDepot Park.

"It definitely felt good. It was a game we had to win today," Holmes said. "We just went out there and I kind of gave it my all. Once we finish the job and get here in the playoffs, it'll be a bit more satisfying."

Before taking the mound, Holmes was handed a lead that the Mets never relinquished. He faced the minimum through two innings, and didn't allow his first walk and lone hit until the third. While the Marlins mustered a pair of runners in scoring position against Holmes, they didn't pose a threat.

Not only did Holmes deliver quality length -- bettering the Mets' all-hands-on-deck pitching plan for Sunday -- but he also checked off performance boxes that seemed unattainable this summer. He produced his first six-inning shutout of the 2025 campaign, registered his first quality start since Aug. 23, and held the opponent to four or fewer baserunners across five-plus innings of work for a fifth time.

Holmes lowered his ERA to 3.53, a mark that places him in the top 10 among qualified NL pitchers. The 32-year-old also capped off a successful transition to the rotation, logging a career-high 165.2 innings with 129 strikeouts across 31 starts (33 games). His previous season-high was just 70 innings, set in 2021.

The gem from Holmes required just 78 pitches (46 strikes). He couldn't compile the punchouts -- his two were a season-low for a six-inning outing -- but with assistance from an effective sinker, he induced 11 groundouts and three flyouts. His teammates wasted no time giving him high-fives in the dugout. He, too, was all smiles.

After the win, Mendoza sang his praises for Holmes, who pitched one inning out of the bullpen on Sept. 24 and provided 3.2 innings of bulk relief work on Sept. 21. He hopes that the right-hander gets at least one more look once the calendar turns to October.

"Amazing, unbelievable," the Mets' skipper said of Holmes' effort. "For him to continue to take the baseball, not an easy transition when you look at the innings. For him to be feeling this good -- this time of the year and how much we've used him -- it says a lot about him and the work he put. Not only in the offseason, but throughout the season."

The Mets' bullpen also picked up right where Holmes left off, delivering three scoreless innings to complete an impressive one-hit shutout. The combination of Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Diaz combined for three strikeouts on 37 pitches.

Holmes is no stranger to postseason-level tension. He spent three-plus seasons as a high-leverage reliever for the Yankees, and in five World Series appearances against the Dodgers last season, he delivered 4.1 scoreless frames with six strikeouts. The weight of Game 161 only fueled him.

"Whether it's the World Series or the second-to-last game of the season, those games mean a lot," Holmes said. "You can definitely feel that. Just going into the game, it took me back to last year, losing the World Series and how bad I want to be a part of that, especially with this group here."

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Mets' Sean Manaea to start Sunday with postseason berth on the line

After a much-needed win on Saturday against the Marlins, thanks to a herculean performance from Clay Holmes, the Mets will look to Sean Manaea to try and do the same in the regular season finale on Sunday.

The Mets announced Manaea will start Game 162 shortly after Saturday's win as New York looks to punch their ticket to the postseason. Barring the result of the Reds-Brewers game on Saturday night, the Mets will need a win and a Reds loss to grab the final wild-card spot. 

Pegging Manaea as Sunday's starter doesn't come as too much of a surprise. Manager Carlos Mendoza has already used all of the starters on the active roster, and the second-year skipper did leave the southpaw starting the final game of the regular season as an option when discussing Holmes' start before the series opener on Friday.

Now, how far Manaea will pitch is anyone's guess. The left-hander last pitched on Wednesday against the Cubs, allowing two runs on two hits in his one inning of work out of the bullpen. Prior to that, he started last Sunday's loss to the Nationals, allowing three runs in three innings. 

It's been an almost lost season for Manaea, who started the season on the IL and returned in mid-July. The southpaw returned but is pitching through a loose body in his elbow, which could be affecting his pitching. In 14 appearances (11 starts) this season, Manaea has pitched to a 5.80 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

David Peterson was also a candidate to start Sunday's game, but Peterson was ineffective in his outing on Tuesday. He allowed five runs in 1.1 innings against the Cubs, continuing his troubling second half. 

With Sunday being the final regular season game, all hands are on deck. Fans should expect to see Peterson out of the bullpen as they look to lock down their 84th win of the season. 

The Mets will have to get to talented young right-hander, Edward Cabrera when they play the Marlins on Sunday afternoon.

 

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Mets' bats come alive in season-saving 5-0 win over Marlins

The Mets defeated the Marlins, 5-0, with a combined one-hitter in Miami on Saturday, assuring themselves of at least being alive on the final day of the season, as they wait to see if the Cincinnati Reds beat the Brewers in Milwaukee on Saturday night.

The game was relatively close at 3-0 before the Mets added two runs in the top of the ninth.

Clay Holmes and Pete Alonso were the stars of the game, as Holmes allowed only one hit over six innings and Alonso sparked the offense early with an RBI double in the first inning and a solo home run in the third.

Here are the takeaways...

-- With the Mets desperately needing a well-pitched game, Holmes came up big, delivering six shutout innings, allowing the Marlins’ only hit, a line-drive single to center by Xavier Edwards in the fourth inning. Holmes’ signature sinker was a dominant pitch, as he got 11 ground-ball outs among the 18 he recorded. He struck out two hitters while walking three. It was the first time Holmes had gone six innings since Aug. 23 and only the second time since June 7.

-- Overall, Holmes' final regular-season start finished off a successful transition from reliever to starter. His six innings on Saturday give him a total of 165.1 frames for the season, nearly 100 more than his next-highest total of 70 in his big-league career, which he reached in 2021. His ERA of 3.53 will put him in the top 10 in the NL.

-- The Mets got three hitless innings from their bullpen, as Brooks Raley, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Diaz finished out the one-hitter. Carlos Mendoza had Ryan Helsley warming up alongside Diaz as the Mets tacked on runs in the ninth, but decided the 5-0 lead wasn’t big enough to trust anyone but his star closer. Diaz threw only 13 pitches, so he should be available, if necessary, on Sunday.

-- Alonso is finishing his impressive season in style, as he hit his 38th home run of the season and his league-leading 41st double. His two RBI gave him 126 for the season, second in the NL to Kyle Schwarber’s total of 132. With one triple on the season as well, Alonso now has 80 extra-base hits, the second time in his career he has reached that number. The other was in his 2019 rookie season, when he hit 53 home runs.

-- Jeff McNeil broke out of a big slump to push the Mets’ lead to 3-0, lining a double down the right field line in the top of the sixth inning, driving home Alonso from second. McNeil was in a 3-for-40 funk at the time, his season average down to .246.

-- With two walks in the game, Juan Soto broke the Mets’ season record of 126, set by John Olerud in 1998.

Game MVP: Clay Holmes

Holmes not only delivered a gem when the Mets needed it most, but by going six innings, he also gave Mendoza more flexibility for Sunday, since the manager didn’t have to use either Sean Manaea or David Peterson -- the two most likely candidates to start the season finale.

Short starts have been at the root of the Mets’ problems over the last three months. Since the now-famous date of June 13, when they had the best record in the majors, Mets starters entered Saturday with 421 innings logged, the fewest of any team in baseball.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (83-78) will play their critical regular-season finale on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m.

The Mets have not announced a starter, but the Marlins will send out Edward Cabrera (7-7, 3.66 ERA).

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Kings 2025-26 Player Previews: Joel Armia

On July 1st of this past summer, the Los Angeles Kings made a plethora of moves, one of which included signing 32-year-old forward Joel Arima. Armia and the Kings came to agreement on a two-year contract worth $2.5 million per year. 

Los Angeles will be Armia's fourth stop in his 12-year NHL career. In the 2011 NHL draft, the Finnish native was selected with the 16th overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres. Despite being drafted high by Buffalo, Armia only played one career game with the team in the 2014-15 season. He was later sent to Winnipeg as part of the package for Evander Kane. After three seasons in Winnipeg, the Jets traded Armia to the Canadiens in a minor deal. For seven years the winger was a staple in the Habs lineup until the end of last season. He now comes into the 2025-26 season looking to help LA get over the hump that is the first round.

2024-25 Season

In his final year in Montreal, Joel Armia was finally healthy through the whole season as he played a career high 81 games. His presence played a role in the Habs somewhat unexpected postseason birth. In those 81 games, the veteran scored 11 goals to go with 18 assists for 29 points, which is one shy of tying his career high of 30. Armia spent the season in the Canadiens bottom six, so the numbers were very respectable considering his role. 

Montreal's first playoff appearance since their miraculous run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 was short-lived but the newly-signed Kings winger did play well. Armia and the Habs fell to the Washington Capitals in the first round, losing in five games. In those five games, 'Army' registered two assists.

Let's not forget that earlier in the season, Armia's named was swirling in trade rumours as the NHL's deadline approached. Before Montreal decided to keep the big winger, the LA Kings were amongst the teams that kicked tires on him. Seems that Joel Armia was destined to be a Los Angeles King.

2025-26 Expectations and Stat Predictions

PuckPedia currently has Armia slotted on the fourth line, playing right-wing with Jeff Mallot as his counterpart on the left side and Alex Turcotte playing centre. The fourth line will likely be where he spends majority of his time, with chances on the third line due to injuries or lack of production. He will be heavily relied upon when it comes to killing penalties though as PuckPedia currently has him projected to play on LA's first penalty killing unit.

When it comes to his numbers, I expect the 12-year veteran to produce almost identical to what he has in the past. I have Armia scoring 12 goals to go with 14 assists for a total of 26 points. That is exactly the type of production the Kings should expect from a guy making $2.5 million while playing fourth line minutes.

Stay tuned in with your Los Angeles Kings here at The Hockey News, as the 2025-26 season inches closer.

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Penguins To Feature Intriguing Lineup Saturday. And Fleury, Too.

The Pittsburgh Penguins enter Saturday on the back leg of a pre-season back-to-back, and everyone in North America is aware that a special someone is back in town for one last hurrah.

But Marc-Andre Fleury won't be the only source of entertainment when the Penguins take on the Columbus Blue Jackets for second and final time this pre-season. 

In their 3-2 comeback win against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, the Penguins featured mostly a prospect- and AHL-focused lineup. There were a few exceptions in guys like Danton Heinen, Blake Lizotte, Philip Tomasino, Connor Dewar, and Matt Dumba, but may others were players fighting for role positions on the NHL roster.

That's not the case for Saturday's game.

Not only are the big veteran players in Fleury, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell slated to start, they will also ice most of their top organizational prospects - offering fans a glimpse into what the future could look like for the Penguins. 

During the summer, we released our full Top-20 Penguins' Prospects list. As it turns out, many of them are going to be in the lineup Saturday for the Penguins. Top-five prospects Harrison Brunicke, Ville Koivunen, Ben Kindel, and Sergei Murashov are all listed on the roster, as are Owen Pickering, Tristan Broz, Filip Hallander, Finn Harding, and Avery Hayes. 

It should be a nice blend of past, present, and future, gift-wrapped within a game that may not have any meaning in terms of standings and points but hold significant emotional value.

"We felt like this was one... today's a little bit unique," head coach Dan Muse said. "You got the uniqueness there of Marc-Andre Fleury being here and the celebration of him going into the game, so I think this is just the way it lined up."

Blue Jackets At Penguins Preseason Preview: Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To Pittsburgh Blue Jackets At Penguins Preseason Preview: Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh Penguins picked up their first preseason win on Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings. 

Here are the lines and pairings for Saturday's game:

Forwards
A. Hayes - Crosby - Rust
Anthony Mantha - Malkin - Justin Brazeau
Koivunen - Rakell - Kindel
Boko Imama - Broz - Rafael Harvey-Pinard
Hallander

Defensemen
Parker Wotherspoon - Karlsson
Caleb Jones - Letang
Pickering - Brunicke
Harding

Goaltenders
Murashov
Fleury

It is already known that Fleury will suit up for the third period and Murashov will anchor the opening two. Murashov has emerged as a legitimate prospect candidate to take the reins as the Penguins' goaltender of the future, as his dominance at every level of professional hockey has been something to marvel at. 

In some ways, Murashov is remniscent of a young Fleury - quick, athletic, agile, cool, confident, and poised. So it's only fitting that - akin to the rest of the roster - past and future get to suit up in the same game. 

And Fleury's advice for Murashov and other young Penguins' goaltenders?

"You better try hard," Fleury said Friday. "I'm coming to take your spot."

And for one night, one period only, he will.

'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last Time'I'm Happy It All Worked Out': Fleury, Teammates Relish Chance To Share Ice One Last TimeNormally, NHL training camp is an all-business kind of affair, and that's exactly how it's been at Pittsburgh Penguins' camp this year.

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

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Sabres' Tage Thompson Continues Rampage Vs. Red Wings In 5-2 Pre-Season Win

Something about playing against the Detroit Red Wings seems to agree with Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, be it during regular season play or in Saturday afternoon's instance, pre-season play. 

Thompson scored twice as part of Buffalo's 5-2 win over the Red Wings at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. With the setback, the Red Wings are now 2-2 through four pre-season games. 

Thompson has 23 points in the 19 regular season games that he's played against the Red Wings, including 12 goals, the highest number of tallies he has against any other team in his NHL career.

While his goals on Saturday won't officially be added to his total, it continued a trend of overall dominating play on Thompson's part against Detroit. 

His first goal came just 14 seconds into the second period, while his second tally was with the man-advantage in the third period. In both instances, it restored a two-goal cushion for Buffalo. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

The Sabres initially grabbed a 2-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes of play thanks to tallies from Rasmus Dahlin and Radim Mrtka. Buffalo native Patrick Kane halved the Sabres' lead with his first goal of the pre-season late in the frame. 

Also scoring for Detroit was Marco Kasper, who put home a rebound past former Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon a bit past the midway point of the second period to bring his club back to within a goal. 

Josh Norris added an empty net goal for Buffalo in the waning seconds of regulation. 

Sebastian Cossa played the entire game for the Red Wings and stopped 16 of the 20 shots that he faced. Lyon, who was not re-signed by the Red Wings and accepted a two-year contract with the Sabres, made 26 saves. 

The Red Wings will return to Little Caesars Arena for a Monday evening matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+). 

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1-On-1: Kevin Rooney Discusses PTO With Devils, Depth Role & More

As summer wound down, Kevin Rooney found himself sifting through PTO opportunities from a couple of teams around the NHL. 

When the 32-year-old saw the New Jersey Devils were one of those teams, he felt it was a "no-brainer" to sign a professional tryout with his former club. 

"I have already been here, and I am familiar with the organization," he told The Hockey News on Saturday. "With the uncertainty of not knowing where you stand, I wanted to go someplace where I would be comfortable because training camp is quick. It is two weeks where you have to show yourself. 

"I am really happy to be back," he continued. "It has been a great experience so far being back in New Jersey." 

Rooney began his NHL career with the Devils in March 2017. He appeared in 330 games with New Jersey before continuing his career with the New York Rangers, and eventually, the Calgary Flames. 

Now, he is competing for a bottom-six role on the Devils for the 2025-26 season. The Massachusetts native has plenty of competition for the fourth-line center position with veteran Luke Glendening on a PTO as well.

On Friday, The Hockey News asked Devils' head coach Sheldon Keefe for his thoughts on his players who are on professional tryouts at this juncture of his training camp. 

"I think they have shown well," Keefe shared. "They have both shown what we had expected in terms of what they can provide. We are going to continue to put them in different positions to show that and see how they fit in, and trying to use them in different situations with different types of lineups and different linemates and all these sorts of things.

"(We want) to see them in games when they don't have a lot of support from our top guys, so they got to take on a lot more in terms of heavy lifting and match-ups and all of these sorts of things," Keefe continued. "Then, a game like we played the other day, we have a lot of our top guys, so now it is a little bit more like their role would actually feel like in a regular game. That is what I am going to try to do the rest of the way here. The games are coming quick now, and we are going to try to keep putting them in different spots and seeing how the fit is." 

Off the ice, Rooney has spent time with Glendening as the two are staying at the same hotel during camp. 

"It has been awesome having a guy like that here," Rooney said. "He is a guy I have looked up to throughout my career. He is obviously a little older than me, but we have been going to dinners and stuff together. It has been awesome getting to know him." 

© Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Throughout his career, Rooney has averaged 11:38 of ice time per game. As a depth player, he understands and enjoys his role, explaining what it takes to be effective in limited ice time. 

"I think just staying in the game, you know? I mean (it could) be communication on the bench," he said. "I am a guy who loves to talk to my linemates and talk throughout the game, letting people who are on the ice know if they have time with the puck and whatnot. It is just doing those little things that keep you involved in the game in a little bit different of a way. 

"Obviously, you feel your best when you are playing 12 to 15 minutes, but that is not realistic every night," he continued. "You have to find ways to contribute, whether you get eight minutes or 10 minutes. It is something that, over the years, I have just gotten better at." 

One thing that affects the ice time of players like Rooney is the TV timeouts during games. 

"I don't know if it is actually true, but it feels like the fourth line is always about to go, and then there is a TV timeout," he said with a chuckle. "Then it resets." 

It is a small facet of the game that can go unnoticed not only to fans but to other players in the NHL, who are accustomed to more ice time on a nightly basis. 

"I actually have a funny story. One of my really good friends is Adam Fox," Rooney shared. "He played in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and wasn't getting his normal 20 to 25 minutes (of ice time). When I was hanging out with him this summer, he said he had a better appreciation for guys like me who don't play as many minutes. You know, it is harder, and it is cool to see a guy like that appreciate it." 

The Devils have four preseason games remaining with a split squad on Sunday. Half of the team will be at Prudential Center hosting the Washington Capitals, while the other group travels to Quebec City to play the Ottawa Senators. 

There is still time for Rooney to make a positive impact on the Devils' front office before the regular season kicks off on Oct. 9 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the center knows what is at stake and that he, in essence, has to seize the moment. 

"When you get your opportunities, you really have to make the most of them, because it doesn't come around often, honestly."

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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Former Canadiens Forward Hits Waivers

Alex Barre-Boulet (© Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

Several players were placed on waivers on Sep. 27 in the NHL. Among them was former Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Barre-Boulet, as he was placed on waivers by the Colorado Avalanche.

Barre-Boulet signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Avalanche this off-season. This was after the Canadiens did not re-sign him before July 1.

Barre-Boulet spent the majority of this past season with the Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket. He was certainly an impactful player for Laval, as he posted 22 goals, 41 assists, 63 points, and a plus-18 rating in 64 games. He also played in 13 playoff games for Laval this past spring, recording three goals, eight assists, and 11 points. 

Barre-Boulet also played in two games with the Canadiens during the 2024-25 season, where he posted zero points, two penalty minutes, and three hits. 

A team looking for more forward depth could consider taking a shot on Barre-Boulet with a waiver claim, given his impressive AHL resume. However, if he passes through waivers, he will be joining the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. 

In 70 career NHL games over five seasons split between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Seattle Kraken, and Canadiens, Barre-Boulet has posted 12 goals, 18 points, and 47 hits. 

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Ducks Inking McTavish Reveals GM Verbeek's Salary Cap Restrictions

The Anaheim Ducks locked up one of the NHL's remaining RFAs when they signed star center Mason McTavish to a six-year, $42-million contract that carries a peculiar average annual value of $7 million. The AAV on McTavish's extension sheds some light on the philosophy of Ducks GM Pat Verbeek.

Verbeek had about $20.5 million in cap space before inking McTavish, meaning there was no good reason for the Ducks to go to war with one of the organization’s best players.

The 22-year-old is coming off a 2024-25 season in which he set new career-highs in goals (22), assists (30), and points (52) in 76 games. Furthermore, he had the joint-most goals and power-play goals on the Ducks roster.

There is an intriguing element of McTavish’s deal that stays in line with Verbeek’s apparent belief that no Anaheim player should be earning more than $7 million per year. Both longtime Ducks right winger Troy Terry and newcomer center Mikael Granlund earn $7 million against the salary cap this season.

Mason McTavish (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

Verbeek indeed made an exception for defensemen Jacob Trouba and his $8-million cap hit. However, Trouba wasn't a free agent signing, but rather, a trade that saw the New York Rangers receive defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

Nonetheless, Verbeek didn’t break the $7-million limit for No. 1 goalie Lukas Dostal, who signed for $6.5 million per year across five years. Evidence would show that there’s a clear red line for Verbeek, and McTavish didn’t step past it with this new contract.

It'll be interesting to see how Verbeek handles the pending RFAs, which includes center Leo Carlsson, left winger Cutter Gauthier, defensemen Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov. All of which will require new contracts beyond the 2025-26 campaign.

For a guy many wondered whether he had a long future in Anaheim, McTavish put that notion to rest, as Verbeek gave McTavish more term than any other current member of the Ducks.

McTavish is under contract through the 2030-31 campaign, while no other Duck is under contract longer than 2029-30. That says something about McTavish’s place in the organization. That shows what’s going to be expected of him. McTavish is going to be Anaheim’s top center, and although younger star Carlsson might challenge him for that top spot, it’s McTavish’s job to lose right now.

Report: Teams Have Called the Ducks on McTavish, Verbeek said 'Get Lost'Report: Teams Have Called the Ducks on McTavish, Verbeek said 'Get Lost'Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek is no stranger to difficult contract negotiations when it comes to RFAs under team control, especially if those players don’t hold arbitration rights.

McTavish had returned to his Canadian home in Ottawa before Ducks training camp began, but he’s now back in the fold, and Anaheim are going to be better for it. It made no sense for either McTavish or the Ducks to lose any more time than he’s already lost.

With McTavish finally on board, Anaheim has a solid balance of veterans and youngsters this season. Plus, if Dostal can hold up his end of the deal and the Ducks generate more offense, they have a realistic shot at least challenging for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Ducks are a team on the rise, and you can say the same thing for McTavish. He got what would've been market value if he were a UFA, but Verbeek gave him reasonable money as they project McTavish to do big things for them.

The expectations on McTavish have now been raised considerably, and McTavish now has the pressure of being the highest-paid forward on the roster. We'll see if he clears the new competitive bar his salary has set for him.

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Tottenham 1-1 Wolves: Premier League – as it happened

Wolves were seconds away from a deserved win when Joao Palhinha scored a brilliant equaliser for Spurs

13 min That Spurs lorner leads to another, which leads to a Wolves throw-in on the far side.

12 min The Spurs crowd appeal for a penalty when Udogie’s cross hits the arm of Doherty in the area. It was tight to his body to a corner is all Spurs will get.

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Phillies settle at No. 2 seed as Twins silence offense at home

Phillies settle at No. 2 seed as Twins silence offense at home originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies have seen former teammate Mick Abel pitch numerous times, from his stay in their minor league system to the seven starts for the big-league club this season. They are very familiar with what kind of a pitcher he is. They had not, however, ever faced the righthander. And as the old adage in baseball says, it’s always tough facing a pitcher for the first time. That held true on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

Abel, part of the package that brought the Phillies Jhoan Duran from Minnesota at the trade deadline, allowed just three hits and a walk in his six innings and struck out a career-high tying nine in picking up his third career win as the Twins downed the Phillies, 5-0. It was the eleventh time the Phillies have been shut out this season, the first time at home.

Abel’s mastery was a bit surprising as he had given up 22 earned runs in his last five starts encompassing 17 2/3 innings. That’s an 11.21 ERA. Still, the Phillies didn’t come close to solving him.

“He was fantastic. He was really good,” said manager Rob Thomson. “You’ve got to give him credit. Seventy three percent strikes, or something like that, throwing all his pitches for strikes. He kept guys off-balance, power fastball. He was really good.”

Phillies starter Ranger Suárez got hit hard most of the misty night as he allowed nine hits, including two home runs, and three earned runs in his 4 1/3 innings. The most damaging hit came to his left inner thigh off the bat of Ryan Jeffers in the fifth inning. Jeffers hit a 106 mile-an-hour screamer back to the mound that hit Suárez inches away from where it could have been much more serious. \

The lefthander was replaced by Max Luzar due to a contusion that will be evaluated. Suárez left the mound with a “that was close” type of smile. “I was lucky. All muscle (the ball hit),” he kidded after the game.

It wasn’t the best outing for Suárez, in fact, it couldn’t have gone much worse as the Twins were on top of just about everything he offered in his last start before the playoffs begin next weekend. Suárez did throw 57 of his 84 pitches for strikes and didn’t walk anyone, if you’re looking for a silver lining.

“Aside from the getting hit by that liner, that wasn’t what I wanted today as a whole, as a team tonight,” said Suárez, who set a career high with 157 1/3 innings pitched this season. “I feel good. Physically I feel fine as I’ve been saying for the past couple of outings and interviews. I don’t know what’s with it but the last outing of every year for the past two or three years hasn’t been good. But I’m ready to go. My cutter wasn’t landing where I wanted it to, and I was leaving the fastball in the middle of the zone. It’s always a tough night when your primary pitches aren’t doing what you want and you don’t have command of them.”

The Phillies eliminated themselves for a chance at the top seed in the National League with the loss. That spot will now go to the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Phillies will play the winner of the Wild Card Series between the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds beginning Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

Byron Buxton opened the game with a solo home run to start the scoring for the Twins. It was his 11th leadoff home run of the season. James Outman and Ryan Fitzgerald also went yard for Minnesota.

“Last couple of starts his command has been off a little bit, probably average for him,” said Thomson of Suárez. “Not the pinpoint command that he normally has. His stuff was good. He gives up the Buxton home run where he left that 3-2 cutter in the middle of the plate. The other two hits (in the first) weren’t really hit hard and he battled out of it and struck out the side. So, that was good to see.”

The lone bright spot offensively for the Phillies was third baseman Alec Bohm collecting two hits. That extended his hitting streak to eight. Since September 19, he is hitting .500.

Thomson did announce after the game that shortstop Trea Turner, who has been sidelined since September 7 with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, will start at shortstop for the team in Sunday’s regular season finale.

“Now, don’t be shocked if he comes out early,” Thomson said. “When that is, I don’t know. He’s wanting to play, one. And the trainers deemed him healthy.”

The series and regular season will conclude tomorrow when Cristopher Sánchez opposes Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson.