The Wolverines trail four Big Ten teams in the AP Top 25, but Underwood said people should expect a lot from them.
Top Five Mushy Middle NHL Teams Of The Past Five Years
Here at THN.com, we regularly discuss the mushy middle of the NHL – where teams are not good enough to be near the top of the league but not bad enough to be at the bottom and secure a top draft pick.
With next season on the horizon, it’s a fun time to look at which teams have been the biggest mushy middle teams of the past five years.
With that said, here are our picks for the NHL’s top five mushy middle teams in alphabetical order:
Calgary Flames
The Flames have made the Stanley Cup playoffs just once in the past five years. In the other four seasons, Calgary has finished either fourth or fifth in its division.
They have not been good enough to challenge for a championship but also haven't drafted in the top five since selecting Sam Bennett with the fourth overall pick in 2014.
When you look at the Flames’ roster, they’re missing the type of generational talents that teams can only acquire via the draft. While Calgary GM Craig Conroy seems confident he can build a genuine Cup contender out of the assets he’s managed to get through free agency (Nazem Kadri) and trades (Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee), we’re not so sure — especially when you're in a division that includes Edmonton, Vegas and Los Angeles.
Unless the Flames decide to tear things down and rebuild, it feels like they are going to have more mushy middle finishes for the foreseeable future.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs in nine seasons. Only the Sabres have spent more time out of the post-season.
At the same time, Detroit has picked in the top five of the draft just once in the past 35 years.
It's difficult to land a generational talent when you're not picking in the top five. The Red Wings have managed to get lucky and draft Simon Edvinsson (sixth overall in 2021), Lucas Raymond (fourth overall in 2020) and Moritz Seider (sixth overall in 2019) in recent years, but imagine what this team would look like with a few top three picks.
Don't expect that trend to change anytime soon.
The Red Wings’ additions this summer, which include signing goalie John Gibson, won't move the needle for them in the highly competitive Atlantic Division. Unless something drastic changes, Detroit is almost assuredly headed for another mediocre season.
Even if they do sneak into the post-season, the Wings will probably be roadkill against superior opponents. And that means more mushy middle developments for a franchise that once was the gold standard for NHL organizations.
Five NHL GMs With The Most To Prove In 2025-26NHL GMs are under pressure every year to prove they can craft a successful squad.
Nashville Predators
To their credit, the Predators have made the playoffs in three of the past five years. However, once they got there, Nashville was easy pickings every time, winning only four games combined in three first-round losses. In the two seasons they failed to make the playoffs, the Preds finished fifth and seventh in their division.
Nothing to write home about, any way you cut it.
It’s no wonder that the Predators have had only one draft pick higher than 15th overall in the past five years — Brady Martin, who went fifth overall this year.
The Preds, which went big in free agency in 2024 when they acquired Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei, are not good enough to vault past Winnipeg, Dallas and Colorado — or even Minnesota — in the Central. But they also stubbornly refuse to tear it all down and start from scratch.
That’s why they appear destined to be a mushy middle team at least for next season, if not longer.
New York Islanders
The Islanders stand out from the other teams in this mushy middle list, having made it to back-to-back conference finals in 2020 and 2021. But since then, they’ve lost twice in the first round and missed the playoffs twice.
The Islanders did get lucky this summer by winning the draft lottery and landing elite defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 pick. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that this Isles team is still a far away from being a legitimate Cup threat.
The Islanders almost certainly have some tough sledding ahead as they attempt to rise through the Metropolitan Division ranks. And yet, the Isles have some solid veterans, such as Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat and Anders Lee, who will prevent them from finishing low enough to get another top-level draft pick. So if the Islanders are a mushy middle team next season, no one should be surprised.
Pittsburgh Penguins
It’s hard to believe the Penguins, an organization with multiple players who are locks to be first ballot Hockey Hall-of-Famers, have managed to miss the playoffs for the past three years. But Father Time remains undefeated.
Evgeni Malkin is 39 years old. Sidney Crosby turned 38 earlier this month. And Kris Letang is 37.
So it's hardly a surprise that the Penguins, which won three championships with those three players, have gone seven years without winning a playoff round. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh’s struggles have not led to high-end draft picks.
Since 2021, the highest the Penguins have drafted is 11th overall, selecting Benjamin Kindel this summer. It's hard to retool when you're cupboard is bare. While Pittsburgh did acquire top-end prospect Rutger McGroarty a year ago from the Winnipeg Jets, Penguins management doesn’t appear willing — or able — to strip down the roster completely and start over.
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Jets' Centre Earns Place on NHL Network's Top-20 List
Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Schefiele named to NHL Network's top 20 centres list for 2025
As the NHL’s offseason lull stretches into its quietest phase, analysts are turning their attention to one of the season’s most anticipated media releases, the NHL Network’s annual Top 20 centres rankings.
This year, the spotlight shines on Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele, who earns a spot at No. 9 on the list. This comes after last season when he didn't crack the list.
NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) on XMark Scheifele soars into the Top 10! ✈️
@NHLJets | #NHLTopPlayersScheifele delivered a career-best performance during the 2024–25 regular season, playing in all 82 games and finishing with a personal-high 87 points. He scored 39 goals, marking the fourth time in his career he reached the 30-goal milestone, and added 48 assists, just two short of his career high. He also posted a +12 rating and led the NHL with 11 game-winning goals.
The defining moment of his season came in Game 6 of the second round, when Scheifele showed incredible resilience and leadership. Just hours after the sudden passing of his father, he took the ice and scored a goal in his memory. The emotional tribute captured the attention of the sports world and became a lasting highlight in what was already a memorable season for both Scheifele and the franchise.
The ranking from NHL Network not only reflects Scheifele's statistical output, but also his maturation into a true two-way force capable of delivering in high-pressure situations, leading offensively, and elevating his defensive game. His standing places him just behind established stars like Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby, and Brayden Point. At the same time, he is also ahead of notable names like Jack Hughes, Nick Suzuki and Robert Thomas.
Jets Aim to Soar Past Avalanche Once Again After Dominant Season Series WinThe Jets aim to win four crucial divisional games over the Colorado Avalanche next season.
NHL Network’s Top 20 Centres – 2025
- Connor McDavid
- Nathan MacKinnon
- Leon Draisaitl
- Aleksander Barkov
- Sidney Crosby
- Jack Eichel
- Auston Matthews
- Brayden Point
- Mark Scheifele
- Nick Suzuki
- Jack Hughes
- Robert Thomas
- Sebastian Aho
- Nico Hischier
- Dylan Larkin
- Tim Stützle
- Roope Hintz
- Tage Thompson
- Macklin Celebrini
- Sam Bennett
Exclusive: Jets 2025-26 Complete Team Preview Released in THN YearbookExplore 76 Years of Hockey History with THN + Get a Free Yearbook Preview
Blues' Thomas Comes In At No. 12 On NHL Network's Top 20 List Of Centers For 2025-26
St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas has been fulfilling his obligations as the top center for the team, and the 26-year-old is also earning every bit of the eight-year, $65-million contract he signed July 13, 2022.
NHL Network is also recognizing the Blues' No. 1 center on their list of top 20 in the league, checking in at No. 12 just ahead of Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho and behind New Jersey Devils' Jack Hughes.
NHL Network’s Jamison Coyle, Brian Boyle and Mike Rupp counted down the best centers based on player performance over the past several seasons, with an emphasis on the 2024-2025 regular season and 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, while also considering future upside. The Top 20 centers right now list collectively features 51 All-Star Game appearances, 12 Stanley Cups, 10 Ted Lindsay Awards, eight Hart Trophies, eight Art Ross Trophies, seven Maurice Richard Trophies, six All-Rookie Team honors, five Conn Smythe Trophies, three Frank J. Selke Trophies, two Calder Trophies, two Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, one King Clancy Memorial Trophy, one Mark Messier Leadership Award and one NHL’s 100 Greatest Players Award.
Thomas set career highs in goals (26), assists (60) and points (86) in 2023-24 playing in all 82 regular-season games and followed it up last season with 81 points (21 goals, 60 assists) but playing in 70 games after missing 12 games with a fractured right ankle blocking a shot Oct. 22, 2024 against the Winnipeg Jets.
Thomas finished last season with 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in a 12-game point streak that fueled the Blues into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in three seasons. They would lose to the Jets in seven games of the Western Conference First Round.
On his strong finish to the season, Thomas said, "Yeah, with team success comes some individual and I was very fortunate the way our team was playing to be able to produce like that. It takes the whole team for that kind of part of it. I think for myself, I talked a little bit about it last year where you see where you can get and you continue to believe it more and more every year and try and get better. For me, I think I took another step this year and looking to do the same again next year. Olympics is obviously a dream since a kid. You watch it, you have memories of whether it's Sidney Crosby's golden goal or what not. It's definitely a goal of mine. I need to really prepare this summer to have a really good chance at it."
Do you agree with this list and were Thomas is at on it? Comment below and let us know what you feel.
Our Top 20 Centers Right Now list has a total of:
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 20, 2025
• 12 Stanley Cups
• 5 Conn Smythe Trophies
• 10 Ted Lindsay Awards
• 8 Hart Trophies
• 8 Art Ross Trophies
• 7 Maurice Richard Trophies
• 3 Selke Trophies
What do you think of our list?@NHL | #NHLTopPlayerspic.twitter.com/7xSsx0hpuh
Red Wings' Larkin Cracks NHL Network’s Top 20 Centres List for 2025
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin named to NHL Network's top 20 centres list for 2025
As the NHL offseason winds through its quietest stretch, the league’s media cycle finds new life with the annual release of NHL Network’s position-by-position rankings.
This year, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has once again earned a spot among the game’s top centres, landing at No. 15 on the network’s Top 20 list.
NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) on XThe captain of the @DetroitRedWings is #⃣1⃣5⃣ on our Top 20 Centers Right Now list! #NHLTopPlayersThe rankings, unveiled each August in anticipation of training camp, offer a snapshot of the league’s elite talent at each position, often sparking league-wide discussion and debate among fans and analysts. The league's top 20 best wingers, defenceman and goaltenders have all be released with the centre's rounding out the media rollout.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Larkin’s placement inside the top 15 follows yet another steady campaign, where the 29-year-old appeared in all 82 games and recorded 70 points. It marked his fourth consecutive season reaching at least 69 points and his fourth straight year topping the 30-goal mark.
Red Wings' Larkin, Kane Named to Team USA's Olympic Camp RosterDetroit Red Wings Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane among the 44 named players attending Team USA's Olympic Orientation Camp in Plymouth, Michigan.
Larkin isn't just an offensive weapon but a Swiss Army knife that can be relied upon as the team's best defensive forward as well as leader on the top power play and penalty kill units. Not to mention his leadership in the locker room, and ability to drive play continue to earn him league-wide respect.
The Waterford, Michigan native has been a cornerstone for Detroit since being drafted 15th overall in 2014 and over nine seasons with the Red Wings has totaled 411 points (162 goals, 249 assists) in 734 career games. His role as Detroit’s captain and first-line centre has remained steady through a transitional period for the franchise as it continues to develop into a playoff contender.
NHL Network’s ranking places Larkin ahead of young stars like Tim Stützle and Roope Hintz, while also placing him just behind former No. 1 picks like Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. The top of the list, unsurprisingly, features perennial MVP candidates like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby.
“My Heart Beat Faster”: Sergei Fedorov Recaps Finding Out Of Jersey Retirement NewsThe iconic No. 91 jersey of former Detroit Red Wings forward Sergei Fedorov will soon be taking its rightful place in the rafters of Little Caesars Arena, and will be displayed alongside the eight previously retired numbers that include his teammates Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom.
NHL Network’s Top 20 Centres – 2025
- Connor McDavid
- Nathan MacKinnon
- Leon Draisaitl
- Aleksander Barkov
- Sidney Crosby
- Jack Eichel
- Auston Matthews
- Brayden Point
- Mark Scheifele
- Nick Suzuki
- Jack Hughes
- Robert Thomas
- Sebastian Aho
- Nico Hischier
- Dylan Larkin
- Tim Stützle
- Roope Hintz
- Tage Thompson
- Macklin Celebrini
- Sam Bennett
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Rocky, and painful, outing for Shohei Ohtani as Dodgers lose to Colorado
The Dodgers lost a game Wednesday. But it could have been worse.
They could have lost Shohei Ohtani.
The final score was 8-3 in favor of the Colorado Rockies, although the game was far more one-sided than that. And the result, combined with San Diego’s win over the Giants, cut the Dodgers’ lead in the National League West to just a game.
Yet the word the team used most often to describe the night was lucky because two hours after Ohtani took a line drive off his right leg, the reigning National League MVP said he had dodged serious injury when the ball missed his knee and struck him in the thigh.
“I think we avoided the worst-case scenario,” he said through an interpreter. “So I'm going to focus on the treatment.”
“It was in the thigh, fortunately, and not off the knee,” added manager Dave Roberts. “But it got him square.
“We'll see how it comes out. But I'm hopeful, confident.”
Ohtani was struggling through his worst pitching performance in nearly five years, one that would see him give up a season-high five runs and a career-high nine hits, when Colorado’s Orlando Arcia added injury to insult by lining a two-strike shot back up the middle.
The ball came off the bat at 93 miles per hour and struck the pitcher just above the right knee before caroming across the first-base line for an RBI single. Ohtani winced in pain and took a practice throw from the mound before being allowed to continue.
Read more:'He looks much more confident.' Hard-throwing Edgardo Henriquez settling in with Dodgers
He limped off the mound three batters later with the Dodgers trailing 5-0 and after drawing a walk as the designated hitter in the top of the fifth, Roberts pulled him from the game.
“I took him out a little bit because of the score [and] because it was getting stiff and there was some swelling there,” the manager said. “I felt as the game was going to go on, it was going to stiffen.”
With the Dodgers in the midst of a stretch that will see them play a season-high 19 games without a break, Roberts had already planned to give Ohtani a day off Thursday before the opener of a three-game series Friday in San Diego. That plan, obviously, won’t change.
“Right now it feels pretty good,” Ohtani said. “I'm going to do everything in my ability to make sure that it doesn't affect me moving forward.”
If Ohtani’s health was the Dodgers’ primary concern Wednesday, worries over his last two pitching performances — in which he gave up nine runs and 14 hits in 8 1/3 innings, nearly doubling his season ERA from 2.37 to 4.61 — probably aren’t far behind.
The game against Colorado, his first regular-season start at Coors Field, was his 10th start as a Dodger and it didn’t go well from the start, with the weak-hitting Rockies bunching three hits to score two runs in the second.
Colorado, which finished with 16 hits, made it 5-0 in the fourth, with the first five batters reaching base, the last of those coming on Arcia’s line drive.
“I put the team in a bad spot,” Ohtani said. “It was just a very regrettable outing that I wish I could have done better.
“The ball doesn't move quite as much as it does in normal sea level, but that's not an excuse.”
Read more:Dodgers Dugout: The 10 best center fielders in Dodger history
Speaking of not making excuses, Roberts promised earlier in the week that the Dodgers would not experience a letdown against the last-place Rockies even through the four-game series comes between six crucial games with the Padres. Now the Dodgers need a win Thursday to earn a split and guarantee they’ll land in San Diego this weekend with the division lead.
“You know, the results are the results. The performance is the performance,” Roberts said. “I'd like to think it's not a letdown, but yeah, I don't know.
“There's nothing I can do to change it. It certainly leaves a sour taste in your mouth. But we’ve got to win tomorrow.”
Etc ...
Utility player Kiké Hernández made a rehab appearance as the designated hitter for triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, going two for three with a double and an RBI before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Hernández has been on the injured list since July 7 with left elbow inflammation, but he could return to the Dodgers early next week. ... Relievers Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott both threw hitless innings in rehab appearances for Oklahoma City on Tuesday and could rejoin the team in San Diego this weekend. ... Before Wednesday’s game, the Dodgers recalled right-hander Paul Gervase from triple A and optioned right-hander Alexis Diaz. Gervase, 25, acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, appeared in five games with the Rays this season, striking out six batters in 6 1/3 innings. He made his Dodgers debut against the Rockies, giving up a run and two hits in two innings.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Sabres Didn't Lose In Regulation Time Against Canucks Last Year — Can Buffalo Play As Well Against Vancouver In 2025-26?
The Buffalo Sabres need to play well against just about every opponent next season in order to get back into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in a decade-and-a-half. And one team that could stand in their way against Buffalo is a team needing a rebound year -- the Vancouver Canucks.
in our continuing series on THN.com's Sabres site, we're looking at each of the Sabres' 31 opponents next year. And in this file, we're focused on the Canucks, whom Buffalo didn't lose to in regulation time last season. Vancouver made a notable addition in former Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane, but otherwise, the Canucks are mostly the same team as they were last season.
That said, we want to know your opinion on the Sabres' rivalry against Vancouver. Do you think Buffalo will play at least as well against the Canucs as they did last year? Be sure to make your opinion known in the comment section below. And feel free to register as a community member on THN.com. Your opinion matters, and we want to hear it.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Are Rebounding Canucks Too Much For Buffalo To Handle?
The Buffalo Sabres are going to face significant difficulty next season trying to end their Stanley Cup playoff drought at 14 years. To be sure, the Sabres will need every standings point they can get, and that means playing well against even the NHL's top teams.
To that end, THN.com's Sabres site has been producing a series in which we examine every one of Buffalo's 31 opponents next season. We've made our way through teams from the league's Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central divisions, and more recently, we've been focusing on the eight Pacific Division franchises.
We're nearly done looking at the Pacific teams, but in today's file, we're looking at a team looking to rebound after a disappointing 2024-25 season -- the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks missed the playoffs last season after being one of the league's stronger teams in 2023-24. And Vancouver has made an important addition (and a former Sabre) this summer, making them into a team the Sabres will have a tough time against next season.
With that said, let's look at Buffalo's performance against Vancouver last year, and what that may say about the Sabres' chances against them in 2025-26.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS
NEW CANUCKS PLAYERS: Evander Kane, LW; Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D
2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-0-1, Canucks 1-1-0
2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: December 11 at Vancouver; January 6 at Buffalo
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Canucks were facing the loss of star winger Brock Boeser in free-agency this summer, but Vancouver GM Patrik Allvin re-signed Boeser, assuring the Canucks of a strong offensive presence.
Then, Vancouver traded with the Edmonton Oilers for Vancouver native Evander Kane, giving the Canucks more snarl and experience up front. And the re-signing of Boeser and addition of Kane make Vancouver a deeper and stronger team.
The good news for the Sabres is they didn't lose to the Canucks in regulation time last season, dropping an overtime game in their first game in late November before beating Vancouver in the second game in late January. But this coming season, Buffalo and the Canucks will be squaring off twice in less than a one-month span.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Kraken Swept Buffalo Last Year -- Will This Season Be A Different Story?The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for some time now, and in this ongoing THN.com Sabres site series, we're breaking down Buffalo's chances against every team in the league.
Playing former Sabre Kane may give Buffalo some added inspiration to play well against the Canucks, but like the Sabres, Vancouver wants nothing more than to get back into the playoff mix next year. So the Sabres will have their hands full with the Canucks.
Another factor that could change things for Vancouver is new Canucks coach Adam Foote. The former star defenseman has been Vancouver's assistant coach, but when Rick Tocchet left for the Philadelphia Flyers this summer, Canucks management went in-house to replace him. And Foote inherits a Vancouver team that was a letdown on many fronts this year.
That includes the injury-absence of star Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko, who was limited to only 23 appearances last season. But Demko also signed a contract extension this summer, giving the Canucks one of the strongest goalie tandems (including veteran Kevin Lankinen) in the league. The Sabres will have to be at their best to get pucks past either Demko and Lankinen, because if they can't, Vancouver's above-average offense will put all the pressure on Buffalo's goalies next year.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Sweeping Rebuilding Sharks Should Be No Problem For BuffaloThe Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now. And although Sabres fans have known when and where their team will be playing at any given time, it's still worthwhile to examine each Buffalo opponent next year -- and specifically, how the Sabres should fare against team NHL team in 2025-26.
The Sabres and Canucks don't have a natural rivalry that's stood the test of time, but Buffalo needs to play at least as well as it did against Vancouver last year. Failure to do so could impact the Sabres' bottom line -- and potentially be the difference between Buffalo missing and making the post-season next season.
The Sabres will face many teams at least as good as the Canucks next year, and they can't afford to let up on any opponent. Any more disappointment will lead to major change in Buffalo -- but if the Sabres do handle their business against Vancouver and other above-average teams, Buffalo's playoff drought will come to an end.
Basketball at 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to tip off two days before opening ceremony
Basketball is going to get a head start at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
FIBA — the international basketball governing body that oversees Olympic basketball — announced this week that the revised schedule for the event has the first games on July 12, two days before the July 14 Opening Ceremonies.
"This adjustment allows the Quarter-Finals to be played over two days and will also ensure that no game will start earlier than 12:00 PM, enhancing the overall experience for players, teams, fans and broadcasters," FIBA said in a statement announcing the change.
What was not announced is whether this change impacts the men's or women's tournaments, or both. Those tournaments are made up of a dozen men's and women's teams — who qualify for the Olympics via results at the World Cup as well as qualifying tournaments — and those tournaments will run through the gold medal games on July 29 and 30 (July 30 is the final day of the Los Angeles Olympics). All the basketball games are scheduled to be played at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
The USA is the defending gold medalists for both the men (who have won five Olympic golds in a row) and women (the eight-time Olympic defending champions).
Giants sending Landen Roupp for MRI after scary-looking knee injury vs. Padres
Giants sending Landen Roupp for MRI after scary-looking knee injury vs. Padres originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN DIEGO — Landen Roupp bounced back quickly from an elbow scare last month. Now the Giants are hoping to get similarly good news with his next MRI.
Roupp was carted off the field Wednesday night after injuring his left knee, and he’ll head to San Francisco on Thursday to get an MRI. The Giants initially called it a left knee sprain, but they won’t know the severity until they get the tests back.
“It’s such an unfortunate moment,” shortstop Willy Adames said. “For him, obviously, but for the team, too. He has been doing really good for us all year long and he just came back and now this happened. Obviously it’s really sad.”
At the very least, Roupp will land on the IL for the second time in as many months. Given how bad Wednesday’s injury looked initially, and the fact that the Giants dropped to five games under .500 with an 8-1 loss to the San Diego Padres, the odds are relatively high that Roupp will just be shut down regardless of what the MRI says. He already has thrown about twice as many innings as he did last season.
Roupp was not available to reporters Wednesday, but manager Bob Melvin said the right-hander was optimistic. That has been his view all year when asked about the innings piling up or his elbow barking at him.
“I saw him right after,” Melvin said. “You know how he is — he said I’m going to be fine. That’s just the way he is with everything.”
The injury happened when Ramon Laureano hit a liner back to the mound that hit Roupp on the right thigh. As he tried to reposition himself to grab the ball, his left knee gave out. Adames said Roupp was in quite a bit of pain as he tried to get back up. The Giants brought a cart out, although that was in part because the visiting dugout has three sets of stairs on the way back to the trainer’s room.
Roupp has a 3.80 ERA through the first 22 starts of his sophomore MLB season. A year after he won a bullpen job in camp, he pitched so well in Scottsdale that the Giants put him in their rotation over Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison. Roupp has done nothing in recent months but show that the spring decision was the right one.
Harrison got traded and Birdsong ended up back in Triple-A, but Roupp had a solid start to the year and then took off in June. He responded to a rocky night at Dodger Stadium by allowing just four earned runs over his next six appearances, which lowered his ERA to 3.11 at the time.
The dominant run was not ended by opposing hitters, but rather by his own elbow. Roupp felt some discomfort in July and was shut down for three weeks. He was charged with 10 earned in two starts after he returned, which put a damper on his overall numbers, but the Giants still are very optimistic about his future and hopeful that this isn’t too big a setback.
The season has been an unfortunate reminder for the Giants that you never can have too much pitching depth. They felt they comfortably went seven-deep at the start of the year, with three Carsons waiting in Triple-A.
From that initial depth chart, Jordan Hicks and Harrison have been traded and Roupp is now sidelined. Birdsong is trying to find his command in Triple-A, and Carson Ragsdale struggled so much there that he was DFA’d. Blade Tidwell, acquired at the deadline to bolster the group, will have an MRI on his shoulder on Thursday.
The Giants currently have Kai-Wei Teng as their fourth starter and an open spot behind him. Carson Whisenhunt and Trevor McDonald would be leading options in Triple-A if the Giants do not want to bring back Birdsong, who walked five in his Triple-A start on Wednesday. For Thursday’s game and the weekend in Milwaukee, they’ll likely need some bullpen depth.
“We’ve seen some [of those] guys, so we’re kind of filtering through it right now and what we think we need here coming up too,” Melvin said. “Obviously the bullpen was taxed a little bit [tonight] too. We’re thinking about what the need is here in the short term and the long term.”
College Football Playoff selection committee changes how it views strength of schedule
A new metric has been introduced to value strength of schedule for the College Football Playoff selection committee.
LA Kings Reportedly Considered Trading Brandt Clarke This Offseason
The Los Angeles Kings have made several interesting moves this offseason, including trading Jordan Spence to the Ottawa Senators and signing Cody Ceci as a Vladislav Gavrikov replacement. However, it sounds like another move was being considered.
In recent days, it was revealed that the Kings considered trading Brandt Clarke, but management chose not to do that, at least not yet.
Michael Russo: Re Brandt Clarke: There were points this offseason where it feel like they were even gonna consider moving Clarke; I think Ken Holland wants to get his eyes on him before he makes such a major move like that - DFO Rundown (8/19)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) August 20, 2025
Clarke, who is 22 years old, has 41 points through 103 games in his career. Last season, when he had 33 points, was his first full season in the NHL, and while he looked solid, it seems as though he may still be someone the team is considering moving for different assets.
At this point, it seems as though the Kings are willing to give him a strong look out of camp next season, but his name continues to be floated as a potential trade piece.
Celtic frustrated by tenacious Kairat in Champions League playoff first leg
Celtic still have plenty of work to do to reach the Champions League after drawing a blank in the first leg of their playoff against Kairat at Parkhead.
In Brendan Rodgers’ 800th match as a manager, there was no traditional early onslaught by the hosts as the accomplished Kazakhstani side more than matched their hosts. However, with Yang Hyun-jun on for Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda moving to centre-forward at the start of the second half, Celtic stepped up the pace and piled on the pressure in the later stages but could not find a way through despite 10 added minutes.
Continue reading...What we learned as Landen Roupp injured, Giants' bats go cold in loss to Padres
What we learned as Landen Roupp injured, Giants' bats go cold in loss to Padres originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN DIEGO — After a day off to deal with oblique tightness, Willy Adames was back at shortstop on Wednesday night. The Giants also expect to get Matt Chapman back from the IL this weekend.
For the most part, this second-half skid has not been about poor health, but they potentially took a big hit in that department in Wednesday’s 8-1 loss to the San Diego Padres.
Young right-hander Landen Roupp was carted off in the third inning after injuring his left knee while fielding a liner that hit his right leg. The Giants did not have an update during the game, but the injury appeared to be serious.
Roupp has been a huge success story in a season that is short on positives. He has a 3.80 ERA and had established himself as a strong No. 3 starter before elbow discomfort put him on the IL in late July.
The Giants trailed when Roupp was helped onto a cart and it never got any better. They have scored just two runs in 26 innings since homering three times in the first inning Monday night.
Brutal Break
Ramon Laureano’s liner back to the mound left the bat at 95 mph, but if you’re going to take a comebacker, the back of your leg is just about the best spot. Roupp probably would have been okay if that’s all that happened, but as he tried to get to the ball and make a play, his left knee appeared to give out. He went down awkwardly and a few minutes later was carted off his field.
It was the latest bit of bad luck for a young right-hander who dealt with injuries in the minors but has established himself in the big leagues over the last two seasons. Roupp was throwing better than anyone in the rotation when his elbow started barking last month, but an MRI came back clean.
The Giants were cautious with the rehab but felt good about Roupp’s health when he returned to the rotation last Friday. They hoped to get his innings count up a bit more and then let up on the gas so he could be ready to take on 33 starts in 2026.
Ugly in General
At the time of the injury, the Giants already trailed 3-0. Gavin Sheets and Manny Machado hit early homers, and once Roupp departed, Sheets hit another bomb to make it a six-run game. Right after Roupp was carted off, there was an error on second baseman Christian Koss and a balk by reliever Joey Lucchesi.
The most disappointing play, though, might have come in the second inning. After back-to-back two-out singles by Jung Hoo Lee and Koss, lefty JP Sears walked Tyler Fitzgerald. The Padres held a mound meeting and then Patrick Bailey popped up a first-pitch slider, ending the threat.
Hometown Homer
San Diego native Casey Schmitt finally got the Giants on the board in the fourth with a solo shot to left. Schmitt jumped on an outside fastball from Sears and yanked it into the seats.
The homer was Schmitt’s eighth of the year and gave him 15 RBI since July 4, the second-most on the team to Willy Adames (24). It was his first career homer at Petco Park, which is 20 minutes from his high school and 15 minutes from San Diego State, where he played college ball.
Jett Williams tops group of six Mets prospects on ESPN's updated Top 100 list
While the Mets parted ways with a handful of valuable prospects before last month's trade deadline, their farm system is still packed with high-end talent that could soon produce at the major league level.
ESPN released its in-season Top 100 prospects list on Wednesday, and six Mets youngsters made the cut. The group of farmhands is headlined by shortstop Jett Williams (No. 18), with right-handers Nolan McLean (No. 19) and Jonah Tong (No. 21), outfielders Carson Benge (No. 27) and A.J. Ewing (No. 74), and right-hander Brandon Sproat (No. 83) ranked behind.
Williams, the top prospect on SNY's post-deadline rankings list, was among four players who were promoted to Triple-A Syracuse last week. In seven games at the highest minor league level, the 21-year-old is hitting .286 with three extra-base hits. He also logged 25-plus doubles, 25-plus stolen bases, and an .867 OPS in 96 games with Double-A Binghamton.
McLean impressed in his big league debut at Citi Field last weekend, striking out eight across 5.1 scoreless innings against the Mariners. The call-up was also warranted, as the 24-year-old showed off his effective five-pitch mix by registering a laudable 2.78 ERA with 97 strikeouts over 87.1 innings (16 games) with Triple-A. He shouldn't see the minors again in 2025.
Tong, ranked second on SNY's updated list, has emerged as one of baseball's most coveted pitching prospects. The 22-year-old shoved in Double-A, posting a lights-out 1.59 ERA with 162 punchouts in 20 starts. He was also nothing short of dominant in his first Triple-A outing last weekend, as he struck out nine over 5.2 scoreless frames.
There's a sizable gap between Benge and Ewing on ESPN's list, but both outfielders rank inside SNY's new Top 10. Benge, the club's first-round pick in 2024, began the season with High-A Brooklyn (60 games) and recently reached Triple-A (four games) after playing 32 games at Double-A. Across all three levels, Benge has slashed .306/.413/.504 with 42 extra-base hits.
Sproat ranks last among ESPN's group of six, but the 24-year-old right-hander is nearing a big-league opportunity. The Mets considered calling him up last week -- McLean won that battle instead -- and he's overcome first-half inconsistencies in Triple-A with a sharp 2.05 ERA across his last five starts. In his most recent outing, he fanned eight over six innings of one-run ball.
ESPN also mentioned third baseman Jacob Reimer as one of 10 prospects ranked just outside the Top 100 who also weren't featured in the preseason Top 200 list.