After a tough 2025-26 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, Sam Lafferty has found a new home in free agency.
The Florida Panthers have announced that they have signed Lafferty to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-26 season.
Lafferty will now be aiming to compete for a spot on the Panthers' NHL roster after landing this contract. The possibility of him being an extra forward for Florida, like he was with Chicago this past season, is there.
Lafferty appeared in 29 games during this past season with the Blackhawks, where he recorded one goal, one assist, and 35 hits. This was after he had four goals, seven points, and 89 hits in 60 games for the Buffalo Sabres during the 2024-25 season.
In 126 games over multiple stints with the Blackhawks, Lafferty recorded 16 goals, 18 assists, 34 points, 63 penalty minutes, and 232 hits. His best season with the Blackhawks was in 2022-23 when he recorded 10 goals, 21 points, and 94 hits in 51 games before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs later that campaign.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 30: Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox and Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox react with Boston Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry as they collect donations for Venezuela earthquake relief efforts on Jersey Street before a game against the Washington Nationals on June 30, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the closing innings of Sunday’s exhilarating and chaotic finale against the Yankees, a surreal series of events events unfolded that one way or another should come to define the rest of the Red Sox season.
It started in the top of the ninth inning when Wilyer Abreu launched this hideous throw to nowhere, directly leading to a blown save:
I can count on one hand the number of times I felt as bad for a player on a Major League Baseball player within a game as I did for Wilyer Abreu in that moment. Normally a wonderful defender, he made two back to back blunders that looked likely to cost his team the highlight sweep of the season. And of course, this all came against the far more important, and far more devastating backdrop of the back to back earthquakes that rocked his home country, leaving behind a disaster with thousands dead, and tens of thousands more still missing.
As he stood there in the outfield with his “All together for Venezuela” message written on his hat, no player ever needed a hug on a baseball field more than Abreu in that moment:
But then something remarkable happened. The Red Sox offense – This Red Sox offense! – rallied out of nowhere in the bottom of the tenth to to take the game and pick up their despondent teammate. In that moment, it was probably better than any solace a hug could have provided.
Here’s the whole rally because it’s also probably the best half inning of baseball Red Sox fans are going to see all season:
if you have 6 and a half minutes may I interest you with the entire bottom of the 10th inning with no edits pic.twitter.com/j5wn3A153L
The bottom line is this: One way or another, that tenth inning should become emblematic of the rest of the Red Sox season. Ideally that would involve the Red Sox making a remarkable comeback in the second half to go further than the Yankees by the time the end of fall rolls around, but at the very least, it should be the start of the Red Sox as an organization and fanbase rallying around Venezuela for the rest of the year.
This Red Sox roster is loaded with Venezuelan players (Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu, Ranger Suarez, Andruw Monasterio, Carlos Narvaez), and most of them are key contributors to the few positive things going on with the club. With everything that’s happened, they are now the main characters in our 2026 Red Sox story. Regardless of what happens on the field, the long, arduous process of Venezuela’s recovery should be tied to this baseball team.
And even though it’s just a game and a team thousands of miles away from the disaster, baseball can have that power. One of the biggest threats to Venezuela going forward is to have this tragedy fall out of the news cycle in places that can help. The Red Sox shouldn’t let that happen, and I know the players from Venezuela won’t let that happen. That’s why it’s so encouraging to see not just guys like Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu out on Jersey Street before the games collecting disaster donations, but also folks like John Henry and Sonny Gray.
Recently, the Red Sox started a new celebration when they do something good with their bats, reaching their hands together above their head to emulate the missing Citgo Sign over left field. Appropriately, here’s highlights of Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras doing it last week:
This may sound crazy, but I actually think this is the perfect celebration and symbol for the 2026 Red Sox and Venezuela going forward. Not only is the Citgo Sign a legendary landmark in the heart of Boston itself, but the company has deep ties to Venezuela. Without going into details there (because at the end of the day they’re an oil company that’s obviously up to no good) there’s probably nothing else that so clearly unites Boston and Venezuela as this oddly comforting red triangle, and the deep love for baseball it represents.
After all, the roots of Venezuela’s remarkable baseball history tie back to U.S. oil interests entering the country more than a century ago, and teaching locals the game. Now, all these years later, Venezuela’s returned the favor in a love letter back to us, reminding everyone of the joy and passion you can still bring to this wonderful game. As a group, they do it on a daily basis across all of Major League Baseball as well as anyone, and as an individual, Willson Contreras might do it the best.
So for the rest of the season, every time I see that Citgo sign, I’m now going to think of Venezuela. While it’s gone from the Boston skyline, I’m going to think of the buildings that are gone from the Venezuelan skyline. As it builds back up, I’m going to think of the resiliency of the Venezuelan people, who will also rebuild their country stronger and more beautiful than ever with time. And each time any Red Sox player does something good and celebrates with that Citgo Sign display, I’m going to smile at the ability baseball has to bring us all together, because that might just be the greatest power of this magnificent game.
Here’s where you can make donations to Venezuela via the Red Sox site. Hopefully, it will keep getting visits all year long. And hey, if we’re really lucky, maybe the comeback that’s coming for Venezuela will end up emblematic of both that tenth inning on Sunday, and the rest of the Red Sox season.
Bokondji Imama's time with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization is over, as he has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers.
Imama spent the majority of this past season down in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 66 games with the AHL club this past season, he posted six goals, five assists, 11 points, and 137 penalty minutes. This was after he had three goals, five points, and 47 penalty minutes in 24 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during the 2024-25 season.
Imama also made appearances at the NHL level for Pittsburgh during each of the last two seasons. In 18 games with Pittsburgh over that span, the 6-foot-1 forward scored one goal and recorded 35 penalty minutes.
Imama will now be joining a Panthers club that certainly values grit and toughness. He should be a call-up candidate for the Panthers when they want to add more bite to their lineup or when injuries arise.
When you keep hearing about how the Yankees need to shop in the relief aisle come the trade deadline, that probably tells you something about the state of their bullpen.
Despite nice numbers in some departments, the pinstriped ‘pen has provided too many agita moments for a team with big-time October aspirations and needs, at the very least, more depth.
Your move, Brian Cashman.
Their closer has been nails lately, but had a 5.14 ERA as recently as May 18. Their hoped-for primary setup man has issues with left-handed hitters. Their lefty killer had a 4.02 ERA entering Wednesday (all numbers in this piece are entering Wednesday), nearly a run worse than his final mark last season. They’ve blown 13 save opportunities.
But the Yankees also have seen some pitchers emerge – Brent Headrick, for one – and have hope that one of their top prospects, Carlos LaGrange, can transition from the rotation to the bullpen to become a hard-throwing intimidator late in games. Fernando Cruz’s splitter is fearsome.
And the pen as a whole grades out well by several stats – entering Wednesday, the Yanks were sixth-best among bullpens in fWAR. They own the fourth-highest ground-ball rate of any bullpen in the majors and the third-best homers-per-nine-innings rate.
They are second in pen ERA (3.19) and have the fifth-lowest opponent average. They’ve also thrown the sixth-fewest bullpen innings. In their last 10 games entering Wednesday, Yankee relievers had a 1.13 ERA. In their last 22, it’s 2.12.
We’ll have to take it all into consideration as we formulate a grade for the relievers for the first half of this season.
David Bednar, the closer, has had some late adventures, but he’s bloomed recently. He went on the paternity list on Monday carrying a streak of 12 straight scoreless appearances that trimmed his ERA more than two runs, down to 3.09. He’s saved 16 games in 18 chances. And some of his expected numbers suggest his numbers could be even better.
He gets a lot of chase (his chase percentage is in the 100th percentile, according to Statcast) and his ground ball rate is in the 96th percentile.
New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) looks on while a bug flies by his head during a game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, Aug 13, 2025, Bronx, New York, USA / Yannick Peterhans -- NorthJersey.com
Camilo Doval looks the part of a high-leverage reliever with a 98.5-mile-per-hour fastball and an expected ERA of 2.81. But overall this season he owns a 4.55 ERA, allows 8.5 hits per nine innings, and gives up massive hard contact.
Lefties, in particular, are mashing against him with a .350 average and a .941 OPS. To give you an idea of the OPS, there are only four batters in MLB who have an OPS that high this season and it’s a glittering group – Yordan Alvarez, Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Schwarber.
But Doval has been better lately, recording a 0.96 ERA in 10 games since June 5. But, perhaps indicative of his season, the one earned run he’s allowed in that span came when he inherited a jam and surrendered a grand slam to Andrew Benintendi of the White Sox on June 18.
“Slumps are part of the game as baseball players,” he told MLB.com through an interpreter afterward. “We all go through them. I’m not exactly getting the results that I expect of myself right this moment, but I know they’re coming. I know a good streak is coming.”
Cruz had a nifty 2025 and he’s even better now with a 2.57 ERA in 39 games. He throws his diving splitter half the time and batters are only hitting .130 against the pitch. He’s also finished 41 strikeouts with it, the fourth-most strikeouts on splitters in the majors. The three pitchers with more – Nathan Eovaldi, Shota Imanaga, and Kevin Gausman – are all starters.
Lefty Tim Hill has seen an uptick in ERA, thanks in part to a 7.45 mark in May. But he still gets ground balls as well as anyone, limits walks, and keeps the ball off the barrel while primarily relying on a sinker. If he keeps getting ground balls at his usual rate (63.6 percent), his ERA likely will plunge.
Headrick, in his first extended run in the majors, has proved invaluable as another lefty in the pen. The 28-year-old has a 1.58 ERA in 41 outings and only one pitcher who has pitched in at least that many games has a lower ERA – Toronto’s Louis Varland (0.98).
“He’s been huge down there,” Aaron Boone said recently of Headrick. “He just continues to solidify himself at this level. He’s pitching with a lot of confidence.”
The Yankees have gotten some good innings from Paul Blackburn, who has a 1.17 ERA in June and a 2.50 mark overall. Ryan Yarbrough can offer multi-inning stints, too.
The Yanks haven’t fixed Jake Bird, though. Bird, who came over at the trade deadline last year, has a 4.88 ERA and has been up and down from Triple-A.
GRADE: B-
There’s high-level talent and it’s hard to ignore the numbers. It just feels like the path to Bednar should be smoother. The Yankees have always shown a willingness and an ability to upgrade their bullpen, to say nothing of how they’ve unearthed relief gems others might’ve missed. Here’s betting they do that again. The final grade could be much higher.
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies wrap up a series this afternoon, as Philly eyes a sweep.
The P's come into this one as a short -122 home favorite, and it's not difficult for me to understand why. I'll be backing them as they hold a clear pitching advantage in this matchup.
Here are my Pirates vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks for July 2.
Who will win Pirates vs Phillies today: Phillies moneyline (-126)
Alan Rangel is set to make his first career start for the Philadelphia Phillies. While the specifics of his pitch count haven't been confirmed, I believe he's the best setup for success between the two hurlers today and would play Philly down to -135 because of it.
Rangel gets hitters to expand, carrying a 38.9% chase rate, and the Pittsburgh Pirates have a whiff rate of just over 27% — the highest in the league.
On the other hand, Jared Jones' 9.7% barrel rate allowed figures problematic against a team with plenty of power.
COVERS INTEL: Jared Jones' average exit velocity is one of the highest allowed in the league, sitting in the Bottom 19 percent of the sport.
Pirates vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 10.5 (-107)
I like the Under with a projection of 9.4. Jones can give up damage, but he still misses enough bats to avoid a complete unraveling, and the Phillies’ offense has been closer to average than elite at 4.52 runs per game.
Rangel is the bigger reason I’m comfortable below this number. His chase-heavy profile attacks a Pirates lineup with MLB’s highest whiff rate, giving him a path to soft counts and strikeout leverage. This total is priced as if both starters get hit (and hard), and I don’t agree.
I'd play this to -120.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 33-29, +6.86 units
Over/Under bets: 38-26, +16.62 units
Pirates vs Phillies weather
Pirates vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: Pirates +114 | Phillies -124
Run line: Pirates +1.5 | Phillies -1.5
Over/Under: Over 10.5 | Under 10.5
Pirates vs Phillies trend
The Phillies have cashed the moneyline in 29 of their last 45 games for +10.60 units and a 17% ROI.
How to watch Pirates vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Thursday, July 2, 2026
First pitch
12:35 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet Pittsburgh, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Pirates starting pitcher
Jared Jones (1-1, 5.76 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Alan Rangel (0-1, 4.50 ERA)
Pirates vs Phillies latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Columbus Blue Jackets went into Day 1 of NHL Free Agency with a ton of uncertainty. But the black cloud hanging over the franchise revolved around Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko and whether they would be traded anytime soon.
There was other business to attend to as well though. From signing free agents to signing their own RFA's, Don Waddell was a busy man on Wednesday.
Let's recap everything that happened on Day 1.
The first piece of business was Zach Werenski. After all the chaos that ensued on Tuesday night, with reports of a declined trade by Werenski, Columbus fans were left in shock and NHL fans begging for more. Late on Wednesday, the CBJ and Werenski put out joint statements to address the situation.
Mason Marchment - San Jose Sharks - 5 Year, $35 Million Contract
OTHERS
Erik Gudbranson has yet to sign with a new team. It's possible he still returns to the CBJ.
RFA's Adam Fantilli, Jet Greaves, Cole Sillinger, and Luke Tuch have been given their QO's, but have yet to sign their contracts.
Next Up For Columbus: Free Agency continues on.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Let us know what you think below.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 29: New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette (19) is seen during the top of the first inning of an MLB game between the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays on June 29, 2026, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets were blown out in the finale against the Blue Jays to drop the series. Starter Freddy Peralta was awful again putting the Mets behind early. The offense didn’t score until the game was well out of hand and all told it was just another sloppy loss in a season full of them.
Luke Weaver has been one of the most dominant relievers in all of baseball, but should the Mets trade him at the deadline since he still has another year on his contract?
The MLBPA’s latest CBA proposal included expanded rosters at the start of the season and placement on the 60-day IL in November.
Evidence is mounting that Major League Baseball may have changed the ball again, and that has led to more offense in the game.
Many teams could be interested in acquiring Tarik Skubal at the deadline, but it is still unclear what team will have a good enough package to acquire the Cy Young winner.
MLB has gutted the minor leagues in recent years for various reasons, and the strain is starting to show at the developmental level.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 27: An injured Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels watches his team play the Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 27, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Yet again, the Los Angeles Angels boast one of the greatest baseball talents of the generation, Mike Trout. Once again, that same Mike Trout finds himself limited due to injuries, even as he puts together his best season since 2022. Once again, the Angels failed to put together a team capable of winning significant games around Trout, and without him, they are downright terrible. And once again, despite finding themselves far out of playoff contention, their owner Arte Moreno seems disinclined to permit his front office to be true sellers, declaring Reid Detmers, José Soriano, and Jo Adell off-limits.
The only one thing different this year? The team fired general manager Perry Minasian last week, hiring John Mozeliak as the interim for the remainder of the season.
OFFICIAL: The Angels announced that the Club appointed John Mozeliak as Baseball Operations Consultant, serving as Interim General Manager after relieving Perry Minasian of his General Manager duties. pic.twitter.com/FUmwQJTbLv
Should the Angels decide to do the smart thing and begin tearing everything down, they do have some pieces that may be of interest to teams throughout the league, including the Yankees. The pitching staff in particular is filled with quality names. A pair of young starters in Detmers and Soriano should be able to bring back sizeable prospect hauls if the front office was able to convince ownership to shop them around, as they are under team control for another two seasons. While Soriano gathered attention with his otherworldly start to the season, posting a 0.84 ERA through his first seven starts, it is Detmers who would be the more highly sought pitcher. His 2.9 fWAR ranks fourth among starters this season, and his metrics suggest that he is underperforming his 3.88 ERA. Soriano, meanwhile, has come down to earth after his meteoric rise, with a 5.34 ERA across his last 11 starts.
With the Angels’ interim general manager inexplicably believing that the team doesn’t need a rebuild, merely a small retool (perhaps influenced by ownership?), it’s much more likely that the team will be more inclined to trade from their bullpen depth. They may not exactly have an elite bullpen — they began the year with Jordan Romano as their closer, after all — there are some arms that may interest the Yankees. Veteran reliever Kirby Yates has rebounded nicely from a disastrous 2025 with the Dodgers, even if he hasn’t recaptured the magic of his 2024 season as the Rangers’ closer. With a 34.2 strikeout percentage that ranks 11th among relievers with at least 10 innings of work (he has pitched 17 innings this season), he would provide some swing-and-miss that the Yankees’ bullpen desperately needs.
On the offensive side, Los Angeles does not really match up with the Yankees. Zach Neto would give the team an offensive boost at the shortstop position, as he has a 114 wRC+ this season; defensively, though, he has taken a step back — instead of Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average disagreeing on his performance (he had 13 DRS and -8 OAA last year), both stats are very low on him this year (-2 DRS, -8 OAA). Jo Adell gives the Yankees something they don’t need more of — an outfielder who can function in center field but is below average there.
It’s unlikely, but a new front office in LA may finally cause Trout to force his way off the Angels. Now in his age-34 season and with an average salary of $37 million per year through 2030, he would still be a help to any team in the league…so long as he would be able to stay healthy. At this stage, he needs considerable DH time, and with Giancarlo Stanton still under contract through next season (with a team option for 2028), the fit is a bit awkward — even if a middle-of-the-order of Rice/Judge/Trout/Bellinger/Stanton would be a dream lineup.
Still, given the Angels’ refusal to trade Shohei Ohtani a few years back despite knowing that they would not even attempt to re-sign him…if you want to see that lineup, turn on MLB The Show. In fact, you might need to do that if you want to see any Angels players donning the pinstripes this season. Blame Moreno.
The Buffalo Sabres have reunited with two players in free agency.
The Sabres have announced that they have signed forward Conor Sheary and defenseman Dennis Gilbert to one-year, $850,000 contracts.
Sheary spent this past season with the New York Rangers, where he recorded seven goals, 11 assists, 18 points, and a plus-1 rating. He will now provide the Sabres with a veteran depth forward and should compete for a spot in their bottom six.
Sheary previously played for the Sabres from 2018-19 to 2019-20. In 133 games with the Sabres over that span, he posted 23 goals, 30 assists, and 53 points.
As for Gilbert, he had one assist and 10 hits in eight games this season with the Ottawa Senators. He spent the bulk of the season in the AHL split between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Belleville Senators, though, where he recorded zero goals, 13 assists, and 33 penalty minutes.
Gilbert appeared in 25 games for the Sabres during the 2024-25 season, where he recorded five assists, 50 penalty minutes, and 52 hits.
The David Stearns scorecard isn’t pretty. You knew that already, but if you’ve been following along as I’ve graded different areas of the Mets’ first half this week, you’ve been reminded of how so many of his decisions have turned out badly.
Well, the good news for Stearns and the Mets is that he didn’t go 0-for-2026. The bad news is the one area where he excelled, putting together a dominant bullpen, is the area that matters least on a ballclub that is infrequently leading in the late innings.
Figures, right?
In truth, it’s fair to wonder if this Mets bullpen would have stood quite as tall had it been asked to do more in high-leverage spots.
For example, Devin Williams hasn’t blown a save since April 19, shaking off his early-season struggles to be a lock-down closer, yet he has only 12 saves for the season, miles from the MLB-high total of 26 by Cleveland Guardians’ Cade Smith.
On the other hand, Mets relievers are third in MLB in innings pitched, with 377, but some of that is because of the way they used the now-departed David Peterson, as well as others, as bulk-inning guys who followed openers.
The larger point is that the Mets have been able to keep their high-leverage relievers well-rested -- more so than they’d like, in truth.
That said, as far as grading their first half, it’s not fair to ding the pen for a lack of high-stress opportunities, for what they’ve done has been impressive. Indeed, their current 3.45 bullpen ERA ranks fourth in MLB, and their total of 379 strikeouts is first in the majors.
As such, it’s also only fair to give Stearns his due.
Most notably, he signed Williams, despite the right-hander’s up-and-down 2025 season with the Yankees, moving quickly in the offseason to guarantee him $51 million over three years.
Whether he wanted Williams ideally to be Edwin Diaz’s set-up man may never be clear, as the Mets proceeded to lose Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers in what remains a murky scenario. Mets people were quick to put the word out that they wanted him back and expected to get last licks in the negotiations, while others familiar with the situation insisted Stearns was OK letting Diaz leave.
In any case, it was a wildly unpopular decision with Mets fans, but as it turned out, this one came up roses for Stearns, at least so far. While Williams has flourished, Diaz went down after only seven appearances with an elbow injury that required surgery to remove loose bodies, and he isn’t expected back until August.
As for Williams, he was shaky early but then seemingly found the form that made him one of the best relievers in baseball during his years in Milwaukee with the Brewers.
Jun 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) is greeted by catcher Luis Torrens (13) after defeating the Atlanta Braves 7-5 at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Most significantly, the right-hander has rediscovered the magic in his signature changeup, the so-called airbender that is a devastating weapon when he’s setting it up by throwing his fastball for strikes.
“You can see the confidence is back,” was the way one MLB scout put it this week. “It’s all about the confidence to throw the fastball with command and conviction and keep hitters from sitting on the changeup. He’s also trusting the changeup and not trying to steer it, as he did at times last year. When he’s just letting it go, it looks like his fastball delivery and then it disappears on hitters.”
Because of a few rough outings, Williams still has an unimpressive 4.13 ERA. But since April 23 he’s been dominant, giving up one earned run in 20 of his 22 appearances, to go with a couple of clunkers in non-save situations.
“I still need to see him close games in high-pressure spots again,” said the scout, “but it doesn’t look like that’s going to be an issue this year the way the Mets are playing.”
In the meantime, Williams is far from the only success story.
Luke Weaver, after some early-season problems as well, is on an all-time heater, having pitched 24 straight scoreless innings. In fact, he went all of May and June without giving up a run, while racking up 31 strikeouts compared to five walks.
Weaver has been so dominant that, even with another year on his contract, the Mets might be tempted to trade him at the deadline, as he’s likely to be highly sought after by contenders.
In addition, left-handers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter have both been reliable. Minter hasn’t given up an earned run in 14 innings since returning from last year’s elbow surgery.
And then there’s Huascar Brazoban and his 1.93 ERA. The right-hander has been an all-purpose weapon, used as an opener as well as a multi-inning reliever. His 42.1 innings are the most of any of the “A” relievers, if you will, and he’s given up only 22 hits in those innings.
In short, Brazoban has proven to be a steal for Stearns, acquired from the Miami Marlins at the 2024 trade deadline for minor leaguer Wilfredo Lara.
Finally, Austin Warren has emerged as an important bullpen arm as well. A 30-year old journeyman, Warren was picked up on waivers from the Giants in January of 2025, and after appearing in only five games last season, he has made 24 appearances this season, pitching to a 2.45 ERA over 33 innings.
With all of that in mind, the only knock on the Mets’ pen is that Williams and Weaver, in particular, did struggle early, when the Mets were digging themselves the deep hole from which they’ve yet to recover.
But again, to be fair, every bullpen has at least a few ups and downs. For the Mets, it’s pretty much been all pointing up since April.
So Stearns did get something right this year, constructing what has been one of the better bullpens in baseball. Unfortunately for the Mets, poor performance in other areas has minimized its impact.
14 Jun 1998: A portrait of Bobby Bonilla #25 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a game against the Colorado Rockies at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Laforet /Allsport | Getty Images
Most baseball fans know that July 1 is colloquially known as Bobby Bonilla Day. In 2000, the New York Mets decided to defer the remaining $5.9 million left on Bonilla’s contract after they released him for batting .160.
Bonilla’s agent used that dismal batting average to his client’s advantage, knowing the team just wanted him gone. He got the team to defer the remaining money for 10 years, but then got 8% interest and those payment spread out over the next 25 years.
As such, the Mets now pay Bonilla $1,193,248.20 every July 1.
Before he was on the Mets, however, Bonilla was on the Dodgers, a part of one of the most shocking trades in Dodgers history. Bonilla and Gary Sheffield and three other players were traded to the Dodgers from the Florida Marlins for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile.
The Dodgers traded Bonilla to the Mets, and that deferred payment idea ended up coming around to benefit the Dodgers 24 years later. In addition to Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers have eight players with deferred payments.
The Mets used that deferred $5.9 million to get Mike Hampton, a starting pitcher who helped them win the 2000 World Series. All of the players on the Dodgers payroll have helped them win World Series, aside from Edwin Diaz who remains to be seen. A running joke that has turned into a viable way to field a championship winning team.
Steve Henson of the L.A. Times has more details and quotes here.
In case you missed it, a fan at the Dodgers game against the A’s on Tuesday night got super excited about Team Mexico scoring a goal in their World Cup game against Ecuador. Justin Wrobleski’s pitch went into the dirt right after the fan yelled, but he then struck out the batter on the next pitch. Mexico went on to win and will play their next game on Sunday.
In an overview of this batch of transactions, the Maple Leafs have sent a message to the rest of the league about looking to be competitive next season. But more importantly, they've addressed some key areas of the roster, bolstered their forward depth, and practically reshaped the entire bottom six.
"Well, certainly a player of Sergei Bobrovsky's caliber, I think, sends a message that we're serious about moving this team ahead and getting back on track and trying to take it to another level," Chayka said in his media availability on Wednesday. But I'd say everyone from him to the depth signings that bring us a lot of different elements and are allowing our players to be put in different positions where they can have their talents come out in the best way possible."
While the overall roster has seemingly improved on paper, Chayka has been able to address a couple of areas that needed some tweaks.
After the departures of players such as Scott Laughton, Nicolas Roy and even Bobby McMann this past season, Toronto lost some individuals who were excellent penalty killers and defensively strong.
Those abilities were recouped in Wednesday's activity, with Sissons, Blueger and Duhaime all being great suitors for a penalty-killing role, or even to take a D-zone start over Auston Matthews to allow him to focus on the offensive side of the game.
"It's a full picture, and so, we needed to get better in terms of the defensive side of the game," Chayka said. "We need to address our penalty killing, and we need to bring some more speed to the lineup. And I think if you look at the full picture, we're a much more dynamic team today than we were 24 hours ago."
When Chayka mentions speed, he's likely referring to Duhaime, who is a well-above-average skater in terms of his speed.
The 29-year-old left winger finished the past season in the 91st percentile in speed bursts at 22-plus mph, executing 11. The average NHL skater recorded 3.8. Duhaime also reached the 92nd percentile in max skating speed, clocking at 23.3 mph in a game from late March, according to NHL Edge.
In the theme of penalty killing, Duhaime can also do a job in that aspect, averaging 1:07 of shorthanded ice time in 2025-26 with the Washington Capitals.
The new-look bottom-six forward group that Chayka has introduced brings more tools and will have a lot more responsibility than the way the Leafs ended this past campaign.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 13: An overall view of the Emirates Cup logo before the game between the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic during the Emirates NBA Cup Semifinal game on December 13, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s July now, which means we’re officially in a new NBA year. The 2026-27 season is on the horizon, and maybe this is the year I make some basketball resolutions. Think New Year’s resolutions, except they’re about being a better fan, a better writer, and somebody who absorbs the sport a little differently. I’ll do my best to adjust my attitude on a few things. One of those things? The NBA Cup.
I’ve had a hard time embracing it, especially after what happened last season. Sure, the Suns made the NBA Cup for the second time in three years, and their reward was a date with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder beat them by 50. As a bonus, they also got matched up with the team that lost on the other side of the Western Conference NBA Cup bracket, which happened to be the Lakers.
So, by playing well, they earned two games against superior opponents. What a prize. That’s fine, I guess. By the end of the season, though, I’m sure we’d all rather the Suns had a couple more wins in their pocket than an opportunity to be stress tested by elite teams in November. Two more wins and the Suns would’ve finished 49-33 and secured the sixth seed. The disease of what if, amiright?
But again, I’m going to try to put all of that aside. I’m going to try to embrace the NBA Cup, the corporate sponsorships, and those funky-looking courts.
Why do I bring all of this up now? Because the NBA Cup groups have been announced. Oh joy! Fantastic!!! We now know where the Phoenix Suns landed and who they’ll be playing. They’ve been assigned to West Group A alongside the Nuggets, Rockets, Mavericks, and Jazz.
The groups are set for the Emirates NBA Cup 2026!
All 30 NBA teams were randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2025-26 regular season.
NBA Cup group play begins on October 30 and runs through November 27. Every team will play the other teams in its group once, and the winner of each group, along with one wildcard team from each conference, will advance to the eight-team, single-elimination knockout round.
One thing is different this year. The quarterfinals and finals are getting a new home. After three years in Las Vegas, they’ll be played at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Shout out to Shams for tweeting it out right after free agency opened on Tuesday. While we’re all sitting around waiting for free agent news, he’s telling us NBA Cup news. (smile John…nod…don’t get upset…)
League news: The NBA will hold the NBA Cup championship game at Butler's Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 11 next season, sources tell ESPN.
The NBA Cup has become something of a proving ground in recent years. Teams that have reached the finals have gone on to find success later in the season. Look at last year. The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup Final, then did it again in the NBA Finals.
Maybe that’s the angle I’ll take. Maybe you want to make the NBA Cup because it’s a preview of what’s to come later in the season! I’m trying…I’m trying.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers are all-in on chasing the NBA championship around Luka Doncic for the next two years. The Lakers went on a wild free agent spending spree on Wednesday to sign Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton. There’s still plenty of time left in the offseason, but it feels like the Lakers’ roster is 99 percent complete.
Trading for Kessler was the Lakers’ big splash, and it will go down as one of the boldest moves of the NBA summer. Top executive Rob Pelinka gave up the team’s unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, as well as pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, to acquire a strong defensive center with a long injury history. This will be the biggest trade of the Doncic era for Los Angeles: the Lakers now have no tradable first-round picks over the next seven years and have committed $475 million to Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Kessler.
The Lakers can talk themselves into having a championship ceiling now with the league having eight unique champions over the last eight seasons. The biggest thing any team needs to win a championship is a top-5 player in the world. The Lakers have one in Doncic, and that gives them a chance to raise another banner if everything goes right for them, and several things go wrong for their top adversaries.
Kessler holds the Lakers’ championship hopes on his shoulders. You know what you’re getting from Luka if he stays healthy: best-in-class scoring and playmaking; an offensive engine unlike anything else in the league. Reaves is a really good secondary scorer who can replicate the dribble-drive creation and outside shooting that Kyrie Irving once provided next to Luka on the Dallas Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run. Doncic and Reaves are both weak defenders to put it mildly, and this team doesn’t have anyone who can replicate the wing defense that helped power the Knicks to a 2026 championship. That means the defense is all on Kessler, an elite rim protector and rebounder who suddenly has to deliver on 100 percent of his promise for the Lakers to accomplish anything meaningful.
NBA history is defined by dynasties, but there’s two big reasons why different teams keep winning the championship in this era. The first one is injuries: more pace and more space has led to added pressure on the players’ bodies, and that often causes them to break down. The Thunder might have repeated as champions if Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell stayed healthy. The Bucks might have gone back-to-back in 2021 and 2022 if Khris Middleton’s body didn’t falter. We’ll never know. The next part is the structure of the NBA’s current CBA. It’s harder to pay three superstars, because it kills your pathways to depth. The Lakers are now using one of the few three-star models in the league.
I’m not going to say the Lakers are automatically drawing dead next season for those reasons. Other teams could have injuries. So far, there are only three teams I would definitively rank ahead of the Lakers going into the 2026-2027 season right now.
Oklahoma City Thunder
San Antonio Spurs
New York Knicks
That’s the NBA’s Tier 1 of championship contenders. To me, the Lakers are a Tier 2 title contender, which looks something like this:
Los Angeles Lakers
Minnesota Timberwolves
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
I would elevate the Lakers above the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets as currently constructed. We’ll see if either of those teams makes a significant move, or if they mostly just run it back next year. The Sixers just joined Tier 2 themselves on Wednesday pulling off a shocking buy-low trade for Jaylen Brown.
The wildcards are the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. One of them is probably getting LeBron James. What else are they doing? If the Warriors land James and Anthony Davis, I’d rank them ahead of the Lakers despite that roster being old as hell. I like the Warriors’ outlook without Davis, too, especially if Kristaps Porzingis can somehow stay healthy (again, it’s always injuries). The Cavs with LeBron look a half-step below the Lakers to me unless they do something else that moves the needle.
The offseason is long. Training camps don’t open until late September, and the season doesn’t start until late Oct. We’ve seen major deals go down on the brink of training camp the last few years, like the Knicks acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and the Bucks trading for Damian Lillard. It could happen again.
For now, the Lakers are a Tier 2 championship contender in my mind with a tangible championship ceiling. I’d rank them no higher than No. 4 and no longer than No. 7 in the preseason power rankings right now. The reason I still crushed the Lakers in my Kessler trade grades is because I don’t really believe in their chance to reach their ceiling. I think there’s some terrifying downside here for LA if that happens. I do still believe in LA’s ceiling in a best case scenario, though
If the Lakers fall short of their ceiling the next two years? Well, Luka Doncic can be a free agent in 2028. Maybe a reunion in Dallas with Cooper Flagg is coming? The NBA always keeps you on your toes. The pressure is on now to make these moves count for the Lakers. It will be thrilling to watch them try.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Heston Kjerstad #13 of the Baltimore Orioles runs out a fly ball during the seventh inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
This was a strong showing from the Tides lineup. Nine of the 10 hitters that appeared in the game had at least one hit. Heston Kjerstad and Christian Encarnacion-Strand both homered and drove in two runs. Enrique Bradfield Jr. had a pair of hits, a stolen base, and a run scored. Jonathan Rodríguez, Ryan Noda, and Bryan Ramos had one double apiece. Creed Willems went 1-for-3 with a single.
Christian Herberholz tossed five solid innings and allowed one run on four hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. His lone earned run came on a solo homer in the first inning. The bullpen was less impressive. Anthony Nunez recorded one out and allowed a run. Chris Kachmar gave up three runs over 1.2 innings. And then Nick Raquet and Andrew Magno both tossed one scoreless inning to wrap up the win.
Three Baysox hitters went deep in this win. Ethan Anderson hit his 16th bomb, Thomas Sosa homered for the seventh time, and Wily Vasquez left the yard for the second time. Frederick Bencosme walked once, stole two bases, and scored one run. Anderson De Los Santos doubled, walked, and scored two runs.
Juaron Watts-Brown had another good start to earn the win. He worked 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Over his las tthree starts he has lowered his ERA from 8.78 to 6.75. Ben Vespi gave up one run over 2.2 frames in the middle innings. And then Ryan Long allowed one run in the ninth inning to close it out.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 13, Frederick Keys 7
Four of the five Frederick pitchers that worked this game had a bad day. JT Quinn gave up four runs (three earned) over 4.2 innings, though he also struck out five. Cohen Achen served up four runs in his lone inning of work. Chandler Marsh was the only arm that can be satisfied with his outing. He recorded four outs without allowing a baserunner. Todd Kniebbe gave up two runs in his inning, and Raimon Gomez coughed up a trio of runs, including two homers, in the ninth inning.
Yasmil Bucce led the offense for Frederick. The catcher went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk, two runs, and two RBI. Wehiwa Aloy doubled, walked, and drove in a run. Edwin Amparo got his first High-A double, drove in two, and scored a run. Ike Irish went 1-for-5 with a single. It was a nice game for the lineup, just not enough when the pitching staff struggled so badly.
Dalton Neuschwander started for Delmarva. He got through four innings and allowed just one run, but then things fell apart in the fifth. That inning saw Charleston score six runs and put the game out of reach. The bullpen did well to keep things as close as possible from there. Luis Beltrán, Kenny Leiner, and Zac Lampton combined for the final four frames. None of them were charged with earned runs, but Leiner was on the mound for two unearned runs in a messy eighth inning that included a hit by pitch, three wild pitches, and a throwing error.
Braylon Whitaker did a nice job setting the table for the Shorebirds atop the order He went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, a walk, and a run scored. Stiven Martinez drove in two runs with his seventh home run of the season. DJ Layton had a pair of hits, his 22nd stolen base of the season, and an RBI. Cobb Hightower went 1-for-4 with a single
COVERS INTEL: Jared Jones' average exit velocity is one of the highest allowed in the league, sitting in the 
