This time, the disagreement came on defense, as Caballero initially appeared to make a leaping catch of a Bryson Stott line drive with one out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the fourth of a 3-1 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
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But Caballero dropped the Stott liner and headed to second base to tag Bryan De La Cruz, who had gone back to second.
Instead of being rewarded with a double play to end the inning, second base umpire Brennan Miller — of “savages in the box” fame — ruled that Caballero intentionally dropped the ball and the play was over, with only Stott retired and runners still on first and second.
“I was very surprised,’’ Caballero said of the call. “They really think highly of me: I can catch the ball, drop the ball and catch the bounce in one motion.”
Ryan Weathers ended up getting Derek Hill looking to end the inning to preserve a 1-1 tie.
He’s been able to disrupt pitchers with his routine in the batter’s box, often not engaging with the pitcher until the final second before a violation would be called.
But that changed Wednesday, when Caballero was alert in advance of the 8-second cutoff — and was still called for a violation because he spent the final few seconds before the 8-second mark in the box but looking down.
MLB decided to crack down on his tactics beginning Wednesday, as they began restricting hitters from attempting “to deceive a pitcher into beginning their windup or coming to the set position.”
Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero, right, turns the double play July 25. AP Photo/Chris Szagola
Caballero and Aaron Boone said they spoke with MLB to no avail.
Caballero and Boone both said they did not believe the bizarre call Saturday was related to the infielder’s recent issues with the umps.
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“I don’t think so,’’ Boone said. “I think he just missed the call.”
Giancarlo Stanton (right calf strain) is still in the midst of a running progression — not yet on the bases — but like Judge, remains without a timeline for a return. … Carlos Rodón threw a two-up (simulating two innings) bullpen session Saturday as he works back from left elbow inflammation. If he recovers well from it, the Yankees are hoping he can advance to facing hitters next week.
“I know he ran, everything went well [Friday],” Boone said of Stanton. “But not to the end game yet.”
With the Phillies using lefty opener Tim Mayza, Amed Rosario led off Saturday’s game for the Yankees.
But the veteran right-handed batter has been in a rough stretch of late — not unlike many of his teammates.
He was replaced by Ryan McMahon as soon as Mayza left the game.
Early has been on the injured list since July 1 due to elbow inflammation but is nearing a return to the mound. The 24-year-old made his MLB debut late last season with the Red Sox, and he ended up starting Game 3 of the Wild Card Series in Yankee Stadium.
Mead, 25, has primarily played at third base but has also played at second and first base.
The right-handed hitter is batting .256 with an .856 OPS this season, with 17 doubles and 17 home runs. In his career with the Rays, White Sox and Nationals, he’s a .245 hitter with a .710 OPS.
A native of Australia, Mead first entered professional baseball in the Phillies organization but was traded to the Rays for Cristopher Sanchez in 2019. The Rays traded Mead to the White Sox last year ahead of the deadline. The White Sox, though, designated Mead for assignment in March, eventually working out a trade that sent him to the Nationals.
The deal involves two controllable assets, as Early will be under team control until 2032 and Mead won’t reach free agency until 2031.
The deal for Craig Breslow was seemingly one made with a hope to bolster the offense, while giving up a piece of what has been an excellent and deep pitching staff. The rapid rise of rookie Jake Bennett (6-3, 2.58 ERA) along with the presence of fellow lefties Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle and injured ace Garrett Crochet likely made the front office comfortable in dealing away Early.
The move came hours after the Red Sox mustered just one hit against Dylan Cease in a loss at Fenway Park, Boston’s fifth time being shut out this season. With Caleb Durbin turning his season around, Mead’s most obvious fit with Boston may be at second base, which has been a revolving door for the Red Sox this season. Marcelo Mayer started 39 games at second before moving to shortstop and subsequently hitting the IL. Veteran Isian Kiner-Filefa is also on the IL. Anthony Seigler has filled in admirably over the past month, but the trade signals the front office’s lack of belief that the 27-year-old with limited MLB experience can sustain his success.
All of Boston’s second basemen have combined for a .640 OPS this season, the fifth-worst mark in the majors.
The move certainly comes with risk, as Early has shown plenty of promise in his 21 big league appearances. Since debuting last September, Early has gone 8-7 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.225 WHIP.
Despite Saturday’s loss, the Red Sox remained in the second wild card spot by the end of the day, a half-game up on the Guardians, who have a two-game cushion over the Twins in the third spot. Breslow is expected to continue to work to bolster the offense with a little more than a week remaining before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Briton on canvas inside 20 seconds and later in first
Joshua recovers to blast out Albanian in second round
Anthony Joshua cleared his final hurdle in the ring, before he fights Tyson Fury in November, but he was knocked down twice, shockingly, in the first round of his wild and chaotic bout with Kristian Prenga. In the early hours of Sunday morning in Jeddah, a devastating knockout in the second left Prenga crumpled in a heap on the canvas, wrapped up in the ropes, and rescued Joshua from humiliation.
After the opening three minutes his extravaganza with Fury looked as if it was about to end in abject ruins but Joshua pulled himself out of a dark pit streaked with defeat to salvage his career – and his much-hyped fight with his British compatriot. This was a crazy firefight of a tune-up for Joshua, who was boxing for the first time since being injured in the car accident that took the lives of two of his closest friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, last December.
While David Bednar has performed well — and been excellent of late — in the closer role, the other late-game reliever the Yankees picked up a year ago still hasn’t found a role in which he’s had any success with the Yankees.
So far, the Yankees haven’t given up on the hard-throwing right-hander, as they have appeared to with Jake Bird, another bust of the 2025 deadline.
He’s fallen behind just about everyone in the bullpen, from high-leverage relievers like Bednar and Fernando Cruz to lefties Tim Hill and Brent Headrick, as well as Paul Blackburn and even Angel Chivilli, who has shown promise lately.
Camilo Doval reacts during the Yankees’ July 5 game. Imagn Images
After giving up 10 runs — four earned — in three appearances to start the month, the right-hander has tossed two scoreless outings, but still walked four in 2 ⅓ innings.
Aaron Boone, before Saturday’s game, said he wasn’t ready to write off Doval just yet.
“I’m hoping he works his way back into a significant role,’’ Boone said. “We cast off people all the time during a long major league season and the reality is, things change and they can change in a hurry sometimes.”
It’s been nearly a year, though, since Doval arrived from the Giants before last year’s deadline, where he was having a solid bounceback season after an ugly 2024.
But since arriving in The Bronx, Doval has seen his WHIP jump from 1.261 in four-plus seasons with the Giants to 1.473 as a Yankee.
Not only has he given up more base runners, he’s also allowed more homers and struck out fewer batters.
Camilo Doval throws a pitch during the Yankees’July 9 game against the Rays. AP Photo
He hasn’t gotten meaningful outs in a win in over a month.
Boone said Saturday the team had tried to get Doval in “positions where it’s the best chance to be successful and hope from there things snowball because there’s a lot of things to like there.”
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Other than throwing hard, Doval hasn’t come as advertised with the Yankees, who have seen other relievers emerge in his place.
But the fact Doval can hit triple digits and has the ability to strike people out continues to tantalize the Yankees — and perhaps it will persuade another team to buy low on him at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
As of now, though, it’s hard to imagine his stock being any lower.
“Guys as talented as Camilo, there are stories every year of guys flipping the script over the course of a year,’’ Boone said. “We hope to do that with Camilo.”
Aaron Judge has been sidelined with a rib stress fracture.
PHILADELPHIA — Aaron Judge continues to feel better in his recovery from a right rib fracture, just not good enough for significant progress.
Ten days after undergoing imaging on his right rib stress fracture that showed healing but not to the extent that allowed him to be cleared for baseball activities, the Yankees captain remains in a holding pattern while waiting on more healing.
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“I know the last couple days, in my conversations with him before I came on the trip, he felt quite a bit better and was encouraged with how he was feeling,” manager Aaron Boone said Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, before the Yankees defeated the Phillies 3-1. “I know he’s been rehabbing at home, I think he’s coming down here maybe [Sunday]. We’re just in that still letting-it-heal mode to the end.”
It has now been almost two months since Judge played in a game — May 31 — and the Yankees entered Saturday 22-22 without him.
The Yankees continue to say they expect him back at some point this season, but a timeline for that to actually happen is impossible to know until he is cleared for baseball activities — which won’t be done until another round of imaging shows more healing.
Aaron Judge has been sidelined with a rib stress fracture. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
In the meantime, the Yankees offense has been a shell of itself without the back-to-back AL MVP.
Since June 1 — the day after Judge played his last game — the Yankees’ four runs per game were the fifth lowest in the majors.
Their 89 wRC+ (weighted runs created, where 100 is league average) was the third-worst.
Their .680 OPS was the fourth-worst, their .223 batting average the second-worst and their .286 on-base percentage the worst.
Their 26 percent strikeout rate was also the worst, and their 7.7 percent walk rate the sixth-worst.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 25: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals celebrates on second base after hitting a two-run double in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park on July 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nats needed to win this game in order to stay in the hunt, and that is exactly what they did. In their most important game in years, the Nats held their nerve and battled to a 5-3 win. It was not a perfect performance by any means, but they did enough to get a curly W, which is all that matters.
For the first couple innings, the Nats offense picked up where they left off last night. They looked listless against the soft tossing Mitch Bratt. That made the D-Backs two run third inning even more worrisome. Foster Griffin was shaky early on, having to escape some jams. He could not quite wiggle out of the third inning though. Griffin allowed a 2-run single to one of the games most underrated players in Gabriel Moreno.
However, as this team has done all season long, the Nats responded. They began to figure out Bratt as they faced him a second time. After a Curtis Mead walk and Andres Chaparro double, the boys were in business. CJ Abrams came up with yet another huge hit, doubling in the gap to tie the game.
Abrams made a bone-headed mistake afterwards though, immediately getting picked off. However, the Nats restarted the rally with a walk and a hit. That brought up Daylen Lile, who has not been great with runners in scoring position this season. This time the 23 year old came through, hitting a triple, something he has become famous for. That gave the Nats a 4-2 lead.
Daylen Lile is tripling again and it’s a lovely sight. Nats leading in a huge game today. pic.twitter.com/ckIfuaWIXg
It took a while for Lile to get his first triple, but once he did, they are starting to come in bunches again. He now has five triples on the season, after hitting 11 last year as a rookie. Lile has been somewhat disappointing this year, but he is still holding his own for the most part, and is still very young at 23. He has also made some massive leaps on the defensive side of the ball. I am still a big believer in Lile despite a bit of a sophomore slump.
One player who is not having a slump by any definition of the term is CJ Abrams. The Nats shortstop is having a career year, and is only picking things up in the second half. He went 3 for 4 today, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. His solo homer in the 5th made the game 5-2. The Nats did not score after that despite threatening. However, those five runs would be enough today.
Abrams is just having a monster year. He is hitting .293 with a .921 OPS to go along with 25 homers and a Major League leading 79 RBI’s. The speedy shortstop also has 17 steals to go along with that power production. Abrams has been the best offensive shortstop in baseball this season, and it is not particularly close. The Alien has been out of this world in 2026.
As we have discussed, the second half has been a bit of a bugaboo for Abrams the past couple years. However, he has come back from the All-Star Break firing on all cylinders. In his last six games, Abrams is 14 for 25 with 5 homers. You can do the math on the batting average, but all I know is that it is pretty good.
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) July 25, 2026
Besides Abrams, the biggest story of the game was the pitching. With trade rumors swirling around him and Abrams, Foster Griffin got the start today. This was not the sharpest we have seen Griffin, but he still went 6.2 innings, allowing three runs. If this is the last, or one of the last starts we see Foster Griffin make in a Nats uniform, all I can say is thank you Foster. He has been such a breath of fresh air and a joy to watch.
Griffin delivering a quality start was not much of a surprise. However, what followed him was a little surprising. Eddy Yean and Clayton Beeter were absolutely fantastic coming out of the bullpen. The duo went 2.1 innings without allowing a baserunner. They shut things down in a drama free manner, which is a pleasant sight for all Nats fans.
Yean in particular has been a revelation for this team. The hard throwing righty is starting to find his way into high leverage spots for the Nats. His power sinker and confident demeanor seem like a fit in the back of the bullpen. It does not take much to rise up the trust tree of Nats relievers, but right now Yean might be on the top of that list.
He is not scared to pound the zone with his power stuff and attack hitters. It is easier for a guy with his velocity to attack guys without fearing the consequences. Yean just has more margin for error, and he knows it. This is just a guy pitching with a ton of confidence.
This was a must win game, and the boys rose to the occasion. There were still some missed opportunities on the offensive side of the ball, but they did enough. Tomorrow, they will close out this series against the D-Backs with a huge rubber match. They will face another rookie lefty in Kohl Drake, so hopefully they can take advantage of that. With the deadline looming, every game is amplified, especially against a direct Wild Card contender like the D-Backs.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani grounds out in the third inning against the New York Mets on Friday. Ohtani continues to play at designated hitter for the Dodgers, but it's unclear when he might pitch again. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani’s throwing program has stalled, with the Dodgers star canceling a bullpen session the team had tentatively scheduled for Saturday.
“Just doesn’t feel 100%,” manager Dave Roberts said of Ohtani’s left knee. “And because I think that the last ‘pen that he had, there was a little bit of regression. So we want to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.”
It was going to be Ohtani’s second bullpen since receiving an orthovisc injection in his knee on July 12. He threw a roughly 30-pitch side session on Wednesday.
It’s unclear when he’ll throw off the mound next. But Roberts said he’s still optimistic that Ohtani will return to the rotation sometime in August.
“It was obviously not ideal, him throwing his last bullpen and going backwards, essentially,” Roberts said. “So obviously that’s disappointing because you throw a bullpen to continue to build up. So that was disappointing. But as far as worry, concern, we don’t have any of that.”
Roberts described a “fluid” process, with plenty of input from Ohtani, as he and Dodgers continue to navigate the knee issue. Because only pitching seems to be aggravating the injury, Ohtani will continue to play at designated hitter.
“From his words, the hitting, the running, as he has done the last couple nights, doesn’t affect him,” Roberts said. “So I can only go by what he and the training staff are telling me. So, unless I hear otherwise, that hitting compromises his health, then I’m going to keep putting him in the lineup.”
The Dodgers had initially hoped the injection and time off leading up to the All-Star break would allow him to get past the discomfort in his knee and not have to worry about managing it for the rest of the season.
Though Ohtani feels better than he did before the break, according to Roberts, the team wasn’t envisioning this kind of start-and-stop buildup.
The schedule does the Dodgers some favors. The off day Monday allows them to get through this coming week without filling Ohtani’s spot in the rotation. But in order to keep all their starters on a six- to seven-day rotation, they’ll have to find a replacement — whether that be a bullpen day or another starter — by the first week of August.
Starting pitcher Blake Snell (arthroscopic elbow surgery) is on track to be close to a return from the injured list by then. In his second rehab start this month, he threw 2⅔ innings (49 pitches) for triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday.
He’ll be targeting four innings in his next start, according to Roberts. When asked if he’d need another rehab outing after that, Roberts said: “Let’s just get through that next one. Get through four innings and kind of read and react from there.”
Injury updates
Dodgers teammates Kiké Hernández, left, and Shohei Ohtani laugh after a win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on May 29. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers are set to welcome back utility player Kiké Hernández (strained left oblique) and closer Edwin Díaz (arthroscopic elbow surgery) from the injured list early in next week’s homestand.
Hernández is set to be activated Tuesday, as the Dodgers open a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners, Roberts said. And Díaz likely will return Wednesday, sliding back into the closer role that Tanner Scott has held in his absence.
Tyler Glasnow (back spasms) threw about 25 pitches in a one-inning live batting practice session Friday, Roberts said. He’s scheduled to throw to batters again next week.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob wants to prove the organization can remain successful once Curry is no longer leading the franchise, according to longtime Bay Area reporter Tim Kawakami.
Joe Lacob reportedly wants to build beyond Stephen Curry, raising questions about whether the Warriors are still all-in on another title. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“What Lacob wants to do, and this might get Warriors fans mad, but he wants to build the next team after Steph Curry,” Kawakami said on The TK Show. “I don’t know how possible that is, but Lacob has a very keen interest in ‘This organization is going to show what it can do with Steph Curry and then after Steph Curry.’ I don’t think it’s going to be as good myself, but that’s what he wants to do.”
That ambition is understandable for an owner responsible for the franchise’s long-term health. It may be harder for fans to accept while Curry remains capable of chasing a fifth championship.
Golden State Valkyries and Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob claps during the third quarter against the Washington Mystics IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Golden State previously attempted a two-timeline plan built around Curry, Green and Klay Thompson while developing James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Wiseman became one of the most costly draft misses in franchise history, while Kuminga was eventually traded without becoming the foundational star the organization envisioned.
The Warriors still control most of their future first-round picks, giving them enough assets to pursue another established player. But holding those selections also protects Lacob’s effort to construct a post-Curry roster.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors brings the ball up court during the first half of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers Getty Images
That creates an uncomfortable question: Is Golden State doing everything possible to win now, or is it already limiting its spending power and trade flexibility to prepare for the future?
Curry is expected to sign a two-year extension that could keep him with the only franchise he has ever played for through the end of his career. He will enter next season at 38, while Green and Jimmy Butler are also nearing the final stages of their careers.
Lacob may eventually get his chance to prove the Warriors can win without Curry.
Warriors fans would probably prefer he wait until Curry is finished before making that the priority.
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Jul 25, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease (84) pitches during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 6 Red Sox 0
Dylan Cease went nine complete, giving up just one hit (with three walks and twelve strikeouts). He was just amazing, even with Dan telling us he wasn’t throwing as hard as usual.
And the offense did the job.
We got:
Five in the third: With two out….Nathan Lukes doubled. Vlad singled him home. Kazuma Okamoto singled. And George Springer hit a home run (making up for a base running error the inning before. Springer was on second, Yohendrick Piñango lined a soft one to center, Springer, apparently, thought it would land, but Ceddanne Rafaela made the catch coming in and doubled up Springer. It wasn’t that tough of a catch).
One in the ninth: Andrés Giménez led off with a single. An out later Lukes doubled. Then Vlad singled home one. Lucky for Vlad, it was deflected by the pitcher, or it would have been an easy out.
We had 15 hits, 14 more than the Red Sox.
Vlad and Ernie had three hits each. Lukes, Springer, Varsho, and Giménez had two each. Brandon Valenzuela and Piñango/Myles Straw (sharing is caring) had 0 fors.
Jays of the Day: Cease (0.27) and Springer (0.26) Honourable Mention to Vlad.
Other Award: Lips (-0.10).
Tomorrow is a 1:30 start time. It is great to start every game at a different time. Kevin Gausman (4-9, 4.91) will try to make up for last start. Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.15) starts for the bad guys.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 22: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats against the Philadelphia Phillies during the game at Citizens Bank Park on July 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers try for their fifth win in as many tries against the Mets this season, with ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound in Queens.
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 19: Hunter Greene #21 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante has made 80 starts across his five-season career as he’s worked both out of the bullpean and in the rotation. This will mark his 11th start against the Cincinnati Reds, which is the most he’s made against any club in his career. He’s also faced Reds hitters in 286 career PA, which is the most he’s faced against any club in the game.
He’s been good against the Reds, too. Cincinnati hitters have hit just .238/.331/.335 off him, and he’s pitched to a 2.41 ERA in 67.1 overall IP against them. So, the Reds better have something new up their sleeve when they face the righty in Busch Stadium on Saturday evening.
For the Reds, though, it comes down equally to Hunter Greene, who’ll get his fourth start of the year after sitting out three months following elbow surgery. His most recent two outings have been rather stellar, and to his credit he’s held Cardinals hitters to just a .641 OPS in 206 PA against them in his career (with a 3.23 ERA in 47.1 IP).
First pitch is once again set for 7:15 PM ET. Spencer Steer is out of the lineup to begin this one, while Ke’Bryan Hayes is starting at 3B.
Draymond Green created financial flexibility for the Warriors to chase LeBron James. Now that James is headed to Philadelphia, Green must decide whether Golden State still represents his best option.
NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor laid out the dilemma after James agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers.
“Draymond Green has a big decision to make next,” O’Connor wrote on X.
Kevin O’Connor says Draymond Green faces a major choice: stay loyal to Stephen Curry or test the market after the Warriors’ LeBron miss. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Green can return to Golden State, collect another substantial salary and remain beside Stephen Curry. He would also be rejoining an organization that reportedly explored trading him only five months ago and could revisit that possibility as Curry’s championship window narrows.
The alternative would be testing a market that may offer less money but greater control over where he finishes his career.
O’Connor floated several possibilities, including following James to Philadelphia on a minimum contract or becoming part of a sign-and-trade. Green’s defense, passing and postseason experience would still appeal to contenders despite his age and limited scoring.
The most likely outcome, however, remains a Warriors reunion.
The Athletic reported that Golden State is expected to re-sign Green for nearly $28 million, roughly matching the player option he declined. Green reportedly opted out at the last minute to maximize the Warriors’ flexibility in their pursuit of James and a possible Anthony Davis trade.
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Kevin O’Connor says Draymond Green faces a major choice: stay loyal to Stephen Curry or test the market after the Warriors’ LeBron miss.
Neither move happened.
Returning would allow Green to continue a partnership with Curry that has produced four championships. He has spent his entire career with Golden State and remains the team’s defensive organizer and emotional center.
But loyalty now comes with uncertainty.
The Warriors have already demonstrated that sentiment will not prevent them from discussing a Green trade if they believe it improves the roster. After missing on James, they may again explore major moves involving Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant or other available stars.
Green is expected to stay, but O’Connor’s question remains relevant: Does he take the money and continue beside Curry, knowing he could be moved later, or choose his next team before the Warriors choose it for him?
The next steps for Ohtani remain uncertain for the foreseeable future and the Dodgers haven't provided a timetable for his return.
The two-way star was pulled from his scheduled start before the MLB All-Star break due to inflammation and irritation in his left knee.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Saturday that there was some “regression” with Ohtani’s knee following his bullpen session on Wednesday, July 22, in Philadelphia.
Roberts told reporters on Friday, July 24 that he feels that a return to the mound wouldn’t happen next week.
"Every player wants to get back out there and do what they do. But I think he understands it's not about July, it's about October," Roberts said. "So, we've already taken a lot of time to get him back to full health, so we're not going to start earlier than we need to."
Ohtani had initially been scheduled to start on Wednesday, but the organization decided against it to instead throw a bullpen session.
There’s an expectation that the Dodgers will be cautious with the superstar’s workload throughout the second half of the season. Roberts has also stated that Ohtani is not expected to throw 100 pitches whenever he does make his return to the mound.
Ohtani had lubricant injected into his knee but did not have it drained. The injection was intended to provide the four-time All-Star with relief in his knee.
Even during his time away from the mound, Ohtani is still expected to play as a designated hitter.
Jun 27, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) throws against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
It’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds Saturday night. The Cardinals will hand the ball to Andre Pallante while the Reds will have Hunter Greene to make the start. First pitch is set for 6:15pm central time and the TV broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
The Senators and Leafs entered the offseason from very different places.
The Sens are coming off a 99-point season, ninth overall in the NHL, and a second straight playoff appearance. After it was over, they had an unexpected problem drop in their lap when captain Brady Tkachuk requested a trade.
Toronto, meanwhile, went from first to worst in the Atlantic with 78 points, won the draft lottery, replaced their head coach and GM, and went to work on a major roster overhaul.
Drake Batherson says it would be nice to get an extension done with the Sens this summer and hopes it happens.
The summer is far from over, but most of the heavy lifting has probably been done. So, which team had the better offseason, and more importantly, which one looks better heading into 2026-27?
Senators Trades
The Senators' offseason plans spun off the road in early May when Tkachuk officially decided he wanted to play with his brother, asked for a trade, and was eventually got one.
Ottawa received Florida's ninth and 25th picks in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-round pick and a conditional 2029 first-rounder.
GM Steve Staios quickly flipped the ninth pick to San Jose for forwards William Eklund and prospects Kasper Halttunen and Brandon Svoboda.
Eklund is the key piece, the proven NHL commodity. He had 53 points last season and gives the Sens a young, established top-six winger who can help replace Tkachuk's offence. The additional hope is that the 23-year-old Eklund still hasn't hit his ceiling.
The Senators also acquired winger Andre Burakovsky from Chicago for a 2027 sixth-round pick and RFA goalie Samuel Ersson from Toronto for a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Senators Free Agent Signings
Ottawa's free-agent activity was much quieter as they basically took care of their own. Senators re-signed Ersson, veteran forwards Claude Giroux and Nick Cousins, defenseman Jordan Spence, and goalie Leevi Merilainen.
They also signed some depth free agents to two-way contracts: forwards Sammy Blais, Ryan Suzuki, Philip Tomasino, Philippe Daoust and defenseman Christian Kyrou.
Senators Free Agent Losses
The Sens turned the page on Lars Eller, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert, Lassi Thomson, Arthur Kaliyev, Olle Lycksell, James Reimer, and Mads Sogaard, allowing all of them to walk into free agency.
The obvious question is whether Eklund and Burakovsky can make up enough of the offence lost with Tkachuk.
That said, when you factor in the intangibles like team chemistry, or how Tkachuk's vibe noticeably changed after last year's 4 Nations Face-off, it's more than fair to suggest his exit isn't all bad for the Sens.
Extreme Makeover: Toronto Edition
If the Sens' summer was about reacting to the Tkachuk Show leaving town, Toronto's offseason program might be labelled Extreme Makeover. The Leafs parted ways with head coach Craig Berube and GM Brad Treliving.
New general manager John Chayka, in the role of Ty Pennington, came in with major renovations after the Leafs' dismal 78-point season, starting with the hiring of Jim Hiller as his new head coach.
Leafs Trades: Additions
Praying to all the hockey gods that he's not a one-hit wonder, the Leafs acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh from Tampa Bay and signed him to an eight-year extension worth $8.5 million. In just his third full NHL season, the 30-year-old Raddysh erupted for 22 goals and 70 points last season. His previous best was 6 goals and 37 points.
Toronto then went back to Tampa for former Senator Nick Paul. They also acquired RFA defenseman Emil Andrae and RFA goalie Sam Ersson from Philadelphia. Ersson's rights were then flipped to Ottawa for almost nothing.
Leafs Trades: Substractions
The Leafs didn't make all those changes without saying goodbye to some talent in those deals: Along with Ersson, goalies Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby are also gone. So are defencemen Brandon Carlo and Simon Benoit, along with forward Nick Robertson.
First Overall Pick
Toronto's most intriguing addition didn't come through trade at all. After winning the draft lottery, the Leafs selected Gavin McKenna first overall. McKenna has the elite puck skills to be a superstar but it remains to be seen if he can reach that status right away.
Leafs Free Agent Signings
Toronto's biggest free-agent signing was goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who signed a three-year contract after seven seasons with Florida. Bobrovsky has been an elite goalie for years, but posted an unimpressive .877 save percentage last year. Was that because the Panthers were a bad team, ravaged by injury, or because age is setting in? Bob will turn 38 in September.
Toronto also signed Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime, and Zack MacEwen.
Leafs Free Agent Losses
The Leafs turned the page on Matias Maccelli and Calle Jarnkrok.
That's a lot of turnover. Toronto is betting heavily that an aging Bobrovsky won't repeat last year's performance and that Raddysh will.
And Then There's Alfie
This Battle of Ontario comparison has another layer that has nothing to do with the rosters.
Daniel Alfredsson left the Sens' coaching staff after three seasons and joined Toronto as an associate coach. Seeing him join the Leafs is beyond strange.
Verdict 1: Who had the better offseason?
Toronto, in a landslide.
The Sens did their best to recover from a situation they didn't create. Turning part of the Tkachuk return into William Eklund was solid and helped shore up the Sens future with picks and prospects that everyone agreed they needed.
For the second straight year, the club is maybe being a little cavalier with their backup goaltender situation. Linus Ullmark obviously needs a platoon situation in the regular season and the Sens are betting big that the newcomer, Ersson, a $2.2 million goalie, can be that co-number one for them.
Toronto, meanwhile, aggressively addressed several areas of its roster. Bobrovsky, Raddysh, Paul and Roslovic are significant NHL additions, while McKenna will probably become the most important player acquired by either team this summer.
Verdict 2: Who will be the better team this season?
Ottawa.
The Leafs will surely narrow the gap, but the Senators finished 21 points ahead of them last season, and that's a lot of ground to make up in one year.
Ottawa still has a core built around Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, Dylan Cozens, and Thomas Chabot, and has now added Eklund to that group. Unlike teams of the rebuild, the core is not only better, more experienced, and battled-tested, they're now well-insulated with higher-quality veterans.
The Leafs may have improved more this summer, but they still have to show that all those new pieces can completely transform the fifth-worst team in hockey. If they can't, the Buds may find themselves with a restless captain of their own next summer.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article first appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa. For full Senators coverage, check out one of The Hockey News headlines below.
