"I've always heard nothing but great things about here [Nashville]," Hague said. "Talking to the guys, too, it just seems like just a great place to live and a great place to play."
In the press conference, Hague talked about how he came from an "active" defensive system in Vegas and how he'd like to be more offensively involved in Nashville.
"I think there's more to give [in my game] offensively," Hague said. "In juniors, I was an offensive guy, and when I came into the NHL, there's a heavy focus on defending in this league. You're not going to make it anywhere if you do that."
"Now, I want to round out my game a little bit more with those offensive instincts I had in juniors, but not lose that defensive part."
During the 2017-18 season, Hague's final junior season with the Mississauga Steelheads, he scored 78 points, complemented by 105 penalty minutes. Since coming to the NHL, he has yet to surpass 17 points in a single season.
Last year with the Golden Knights, Hague had 12 points in 68 games, but was part of an offensively active defensive corps. Vegas' defensemen had 173 points, led by Shea Theodore with 57 points. Nashville had 133 defensive points, led by Roman Josi with 38 points.
"In Vegas, we talked about playing as five all over the ice," Hague said. "Our whole system is a unit. You're never man-on-man. If one guy got beat, you kind of had to beat us in layers...We always had a lot of success playing that way, and we always seemed to click."
The defense was a significant focus for the Predators in the offseason, specifically addressing its issues, according to general manager Barry Trotz. Trotz said having a more offensively involved defense will help fix the gap at center.
"I think everybody had a lot higher expectations with the summer they had in free agency," Hague said.
Hague did add that the attitude of having something to prove following a disappointing season has paid off for him in the past. The year before Vegas won the 2023 Stanley Cup, it had missed the playoffs by three points.
It was the Predators that got the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
"We were very hungry and felt like we had something to prove that next year," Hague said. "That's a powerful feeling in the locker room if everybody can buy in. Having something to prove can take a team a long way."
Not everyone is a stranger to Hague in Nashville. He is reunited with former Golden Knight Jonathan Marchessault. The pair played together for five seasons and have become close friends off the ice as well.
"Marshy [Marchessault] is a really good friend. He always makes me laugh," Hague said. "I can't wait to reconnect with them [Marchessault's family]. We got pretty close in Vegas over the years, and lived down the street from them. It'll be good to see him, Alex and the kids."
The 2024-25 NHL season was a true breakout campaign for Detroit Red Wings rookie Marco Kasper, who showed tremendous promise and all of the signs of being an effective impact player for years to come.
Thanks to his impressive first foray into the NHL, he's being recognized by being named the 2024-25 Red Wings Rookie of the Year by the Detroit Sports Media (DSM).
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 10, 2025
Kasper, whom the Red Wings drafted with the eighth overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, began the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins but was called up to the Red Wings in late October, and remained with the club for the remainder of the campaign.
Kasper ultimately played in 77 games, scoring 19 goals with 18 assists. His first NHL goal was scored on November 15 against the Anaheim Ducks and goaltender John Gibson, who is now his teammate in Detroit after being acquired in a recent trade.
But it was Kasper's second half of the season that was extremely encouraging. In the 42 games that he played spanning from January 10 through the end of the season in April, Kasper's 17 goals were first among all NHL rookies. His 29 even-strength points were tied for first among all rookies, and his 30 points were good for fifth overall.
“I mean, I’m always giving my best to get better, but I know it’s going to be hard next year,” Kasper said after the season ended. “You know, it’s, I mean, I personally feel like I had a pretty good year, but it’s going to be really hard to come back and do just like that and even improve what I want."
Kasper, who also later played for Austria in the 2025 World Championship, also said that he's going to spend the summer focusing on improving himself physically.
“Obviously, I always talk about I’m trying to get better every day. It’s really hard, but it’s something I’m going to focus on this summer," he said. "Just whenever I’m in the gym, when I’m just maybe watching some playoff games, that’s where we’re going to go and everybody’s going to have to improve for us to get there. And so it’s going to be an important summer.”
Under coach Todd McLellan, who took over the head coaching duties on December 26, Kasper would routinely center Detroit's second line flanked by Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, a line that will likely be intact heading into next season.
At only 20 years old, the sky is the limit for Kasper moving forward.
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Samuel Montembeault is heading into next season as the Montreal Canadiens' clear starting goalie. The 28-year-old is coming off a solid 2024-25 campaign, as he posted a 31-24-7 record, a .902 save percentage, a 2.82 goals-against average, and four shutouts in 62 games. With this, he was certainly a reason why the Canadiens made the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Yet, when it comes to the Canadiens' backup goalie position, that is where things get more interesting. With the team signing Kaapo Kahkonen to a one-year, $1.15 million contract, there will now be a goalie battle to watch between him and Jakub Dobes at training camp for the backup spot.
Kahkonen, 28, spent most of this season down in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 36 regular-season games split between the Colorado Eagles, Manitoba Moose, and Charlotte Checkers, he had a 14-20-1 record, a .894 save percentage, and a 2.91 goals-against average. He also played in 18 playoff games for the Checkers this spring, where he had a 12-6 record, a .906 save percentage, and a 2.18 goals-against average.
Although Kahkonen appeared in just one NHL game this past season, he has a good amount of experience as a backup at the NHL level. In 140 career games over six seasons split between the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, and Colorado Avalanche, he has posted a 49-68-15 record, a .898 save percentage, and a 3.34 goals-against average. Thus, if the Canadiens want more experience for the backup role and to let Dobes develop his game more in the AHL, they could start the year with Kahkonen.
However, Dobes demonstrated plenty of promise during his first NHL action this season with the Canadiens. In 16 games with Montreal on the year, he posted a 7-4-3 record, a .909 save percentage, a 2.74 goals-against average, and one shutout. He also performed well while in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this campaign, recording a 9-3-1 record, a .910 save percentage, and a 2.44 goals-against average in 14 games.
It is fair to argue that Dobes has a good shot at winning the Canadiens' backup goalie spot. Yet, with the Canadiens bringing in an experienced goalie like Kahkonen, Dobes will need to earn the role with a strong training camp.
Isaac Howard bet on himself by forcing a trade to the Edmonton Oilers, but it comes with a catch.
The Tampa Bay Lightning first-rounder may have landed a dream job on Connor McDavid’s or Leon Draisaitl’s wing next season with the Oilers. But if Howard, who won the Hobey Baker Award as the top men’s college hockey player, didn’t already have a bullseye on his back, he certainly does now.
Chances are, like Rutger McGroarty and Cutter Gauthier, he’s probably OK with that.
When you’re a young, elite hockey player, the world can be your oyster. You have the power of top-level performance to build your brand. You have people who’ve scouted you from an early age, telling you how great you are. And more often than not, you wind up believing in the hype about yourself.
Now, some elite young players wind up doing what most young players do – they accept hockey’s draft system, go wherever they’re told to go and build a career from there.
But over the years, there have been some top youngsters who defied the system and negotiated their way to a team and a town where they felt they were a better fit than the club that drafted them.
Of course, some famous examples in modern history are Eric Lindros, who refused to play in Quebec City, orchestrating a trade to the Philadelphia Flyers. More recently, star defenseman Adam Fox first told the Calgary Flames he wouldn’t sign with them after they drafted him. After the Flames dealt him to the Carolina Hurricanes, Fox didn’t sign there, either. Before his draft rights expired, the Hurricanes moved him to where he wanted to be, the New York Rangers, where he’s played ever since.
In the past couple of years, top forward prospects Gauthier and McGroarty leveraged their way out of Philadelphia and Winnipeg, respectively. Gauthier forced a trade to the Anaheim Ducks, while McGroarty got moved to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
With all that in mind, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that another young up-and-comer has forced his way away from the team that drafted him. Howard didn’t come to terms with the Lightning, which selected him 31st overall pick in 2022. The Lightning traded him to the Oilers in exchange for OHL prospect Sam O’Reilly.
In his introductory press availability, Howard said the usual boilerplate things about being happy with his new team. But make no mistake – he will now face scrutiny as he tries to make the jump from the NCAA to the NHL without needing to play in the AHL. Like it or not, when you use the system to your advantage in a way most players do not, the spotlight on you will be prolonged and intense.
So far in their careers, McGroarty and Gauthier haven’t exactly set the league on fire. McGroarty spent most of his first professional season in the AHL, posting 14 goals and 39 points in 60 games this past season. In a brief stint with the NHL’s Penguins, McGroarty generated only one goal and three points in eight games. His adaptation to hockey’s top league will still take some time, but he’s got a promising future.
Gauthier has been more successful thus far, playing a full 82 games with the Ducks in his initial NHL season and generating 20 goals and 44 points. Gauthier has had more opportunity than some of his peers, but he’s taken some of the heat off himself by being so productive as a rookie.
Now, the same spotlight will hang hard on Howard.
The belief in Edmonton is that the 21-year-old is NHL-ready and will be in the lineup when the 2025-26 season begins. Playing alongside McDavid and Draisaitl will no doubt help Howard’s acclimation to the NHL, but playing on a team that wants a Stanley Cup championship means there’s little room for error.
It may not be fair in that regard, but by orchestrating a trade to a place he wants to play, Howard has opened himself up for criticism, not only from Lightning fans who may feel cheated but from hockey gatekeepers who always bristle when a young player dictates where they want to play.
If Howard can thrive as an Oiler, Edmonton management will be more than happy to make him a cornerstone part of the organization. While Howard will likely face a lifetime of jeering from Tampa fans – the same way McGroarty and Gauthier will always hear it from Jets and Flyers fans, respectively – this won’t be the last time we see a player break up the hockey food chain and make it clear they’re not going to be swayed when it comes to playing where they want to play.
The Mets will send four players to Atlanta for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game after all.
MLB announced Wednesday that Mets southpaw David Peterson will join the All-Star Game roster as a reserve pitcher, taking the place of Giants starter Robbie Ray.
It's the first time Peterson has been named to the All-Star Game but it's well-deserved in what is becoming a career year for the 29-year-old. Including Wednesday's performance against the Orioles, Peterson has pitched to a 6-4 record and a 3.06 ERA.
Peterson will join NL All-Star Game starter Francisco Lindor and reserves Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz in Atlanta next week. This will be the second season in four years that the Mets have had at least four participants in the All-Star Game. The other was the 2022 Mets team that sent Alonso, Diaz, Starling Marte and Jeff McNeil.
The Philadelphia Flyers didn't make too many additions to the roster this offseason, but they did enough to shake up the organizational depth chart for the time being.
And with that, the team's pace should change at least a little bit this season.
New head coach Rick Tocchet will get to iterate his own version of these Flyers, and the newcomers will breathe some life into a stagnant roster that saw very little turnover from 2023-24 to 2024-25.
The most notable offseason departures in 2024 were those of veterans Cam Atkinson and Marc Staal, as well as reserve goalie Felix Sandstrom
By adding Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak, the Flyers hope to address and smooth over the holes left by Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost, who went to the Calgary Flames in a January trade earlier this year.
Note that the following depth chart is not necessarily how I see or believe the lines will play out, but more where I think players fall in terms of ice time based on their roles, pecking order in the event of injury, etc.
Additionally, we will assume that Tyson Foerster, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Noah Juulsen are all healthy.
Tyson Foerster, when healthy, is going to play a ton of 5-on-5 minutes, and his role should expand on the penalty kill, too.
I don't know where the caution came from with Trevor Zegras, but he is definitely an NHL center, and a talented one. The biggest question is going to be how far his defense can come, because the playmaking, scoring, and invariable power play boost will keep him on the ice regardless.
A small note on Owen Tippett: his speed and long reach would be dangerous assets to have on the penalty kill a la Travis Konecny. Can Tocchet and the Flyers make him into something more than a high-priced, volume-shooting power forward?
I don't believe Alex Bump, who's a favorite to make the roster out of camp, will play on a checking line with Noah Cates, but 14-15 minutes a night to start him off in the NHL would be ideal.
As for Nikita Grebenkin, if he makes the roster, I'd expect 12 or so minutes a night with potential for PP2 ice time.
Diving into the extras, where Jett Luchanko falls depends a lot on his training camp, but if the Flyers suffer a rash of injuries, I could see him being re-called from the OHL in the event of an emergency over a bit part AHL player.
Ditto for Denver Barkey and Devin Kaplan, who may not be the first line of defense but could still see NHL ice under certain circumstances.
At this point in the rebuild, I don't see how it would benefit the Flyers to play veterans and journeymen over some of the prospects who are now turning pro.
Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Cam York are all going to play the bulk of the even strength and penalty kill minutes, and Nick Seeler and Noah Juulsen will each factor in on the man disadvantage, too.
The biggest question will be who plays the power play.
Jamie Drysdale was the Flyers' No. 1 option by a comfortable margin on the power play last year and was on the ice for 15 goals for. Ristolainen, Sanheim, Emil Andrae, and Egor Zamula were on the ice for a combined 17 goals for, for reference.
Sanheim and Andrae, who each played 50 minutes on the man advantage, out-scored opponents by a combined 10-1, with the two leading all Flyers defensemen in goals for percentage on the power play, per Natural Stat Trick.
The issue is that Andrae might not make the roster, which opens the door for someone like York to take on more responsibility and actually showcase all his talents.
York ranked sixth amongst Flyers defensemen in power play ice time last season, playing just 9:36 in 66 games.
I expect Helge Grans to challenge for a roster spot for as long as Ristolainen is out after making his NHL debut last season. In the event of further injury, Andrae and prospect Oliver Bonk should top the list of re-call options.
No surprises here. Top free agency addition Dan Vladar will be tasked with keeping Sam Ersson fresh, which has proven challenging over the last two seasons.
There's no reason for Aleksei Kolosov to not return given the situation with Dinamo Minsk, and he has more long-term upside than Ivan Fedotov if he can show the Flyers some consistency at the AHL and/or NHL levels.
Carson Bjarnason, who is just now turning pro, is the break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option. I think the Flyers would trade for a stopgap before throwing him to the wolves.
Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt will undergo Tommy John surgery on Friday, manager Aaron Boone told reporters Thursday.
Schmidt was dealing with right forearm tightness during his outing on July 3 and exited the game against Toronto after three innings and 55 pitches. He was then placed on the IL with what the team called right elbow tightness.
On Saturday, the initial MRI on his right elbow revealed that the pitcher is dealing with a torn UCL as the team was waiting for further testing to confirm the unfortunate news. Schmidt will now be out for the remainder of the season, as he's the second Yankee to need TJS this season, joining Gerrit Cole on the sidelines.
“Earlier on in the game it felt okay,” Schmidt told reporters after the start. “As the game progressed, it sort of tightened up a little bit on me. I felt like the whole night I was kind of guarding it a little bit on the breaking balls, really not ripping them or trying to get a lot behind them."
The 29-year-old has pitched to a 3.32 ERA across 14 starts this season, including a strong June with a 1.95 ERA across five outings. Overall, Schmidt went 4-4 and totaled 73 strikeouts over 78.2 IP on the year.
It'll be his second time having Tommy John surgery after getting the procedure in April of 2017 while at the University of South Carolina. That didn't stop New York from drafting the right-hander with the No. 16 overall pick in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He owns a 23-24 record with two saves over 97 games and 67 starts to go along with a 3.82 ERA and 384 strikeouts over six seasons in the bigs.
The Yankees called up Cam Schlittler in place of Schmidt to start on Wednesday, and he looked "under control" in his MLB debut, allowing three runs on four hits over 5.1 strong innings.
Programming note: The American Century Championship will air Friday, July 11, from 1-3 p.m. PT on Peacock, and again from 5-7 p.m. PT on GOLF Channel. Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13, the tournament will air locally on NBC Bay Area (KNTV) from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT.
As Steph Curry enters his 17th NBA season, it’s only natural to wonder how long the Warriors superstar plans to continue playing basketball professionally.
Curry provided some insight into the matter uring a press conference at the American Century Championship on Thursday.
“I don’t know. I’m just taking it two years at a time,” Curry told reporters. “That’s all I have on my contract left. I hope to be in a situation, where, physically, I have the choice and it’s not made for me, so I’m doing everything I can to stay limber, stay active and do what I do at a high level. Just trying to stay in the moment and see what happens in two years.”
Steph provided some insight into how long he plans to continue playing in the NBA 👀 pic.twitter.com/I2FvCYmwS6
Curry’s numbers from the 2024-25 NBA season certainly would suggest there isn’t a massive physical drop off on the horizon for the two-time NBA MVP. Curry averaged 24.5 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game in 70 regular-season appeareances during his age-37 season, earning second-team All-NBA honors while guiding Golden State to the playoffs.
After signing a one-year, $62.9 million contract extension last August, Curry is linked with the Warriors through at least the 2026-27 NBA season, where it appears the four-time NBA champion could once again reevaluate his future based on the two-year timetable he mentioned.
While Father Time remains undefeated, the NBA is in the midst of seeing all-time greats continue playing at a high level despite reaching ages where players previously would see a major decline. Curry isn’t alone, as fellow superstar LeBron James joined his longtime rival on the All-NBA Second Team after a standout campaign in his age-40 season.
All good things eventually come to an end, but Curry’s recent play and continued hunger to pursue another Larry O’Brien Trophy should insipre hope in the hearts of Golden State fans who are cherishing every opportunity remaining to watch the greatest player in franchise history suit up for the Warriors.
Programming note: The American Century Championship will air Friday, July 11, from 1-3 p.m. PT on Peacock, and again from 5-7 p.m. PT on GOLF Channel. Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13, the tournament will air locally on NBC Bay Area (KNTV) from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT.
NBA free agency can be an interesting time for athletes. Finding the best fit on the floor while also balancing life outside of it can be a tightrope walk.
For Seth Curry, he’s currently looking for a place to call home for the 2025-26 NBA season, and while his older brother, Steph, certainly would love for him to join the Warriors, the younger Curry says he has to do what’s best for himself.
“I’m just trying to find a good spot for me,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole at the American Century Championship on Thursday in South Lake Tahoe. “That’s really it right now. Enjoyed my time in Charlotte. Love to go back, but that’s a young team, them doing what they’re doing. So right now, trying to figure out what’s best for me and trying to get to a situation where I can be my best self and keep going and finish my career strong.”
Curry averaged 6.5 points per game with the Hornets in 2024-25 while playing 15.6 minutes per game. However, the 11-year NBA veteran led the league in 3-point percentage, averaging 45.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Poole followed up by asking about Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers’ quote from “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” where he said Golden State would be “the perfect place” for the 34-year-old guard.
“They play a good brand of basketball,” Curry told Poole regarding Golden State. “I feel like I’ve been a part of Dub Nation for a while watching Steph and being around the organization. Obviously, they could use … any team could use shooting. But I can’t say anything other than I’m trying to find the best place for me, and hopefully we’ll figure it out in the next week and figure out where I’ll be going next.”
Curry has played for nine different teams during his NBA career, so it seems the future will determine if the Warriors will be No. 10.
“I always got to do what’s best for myself, obviously,” Curry told Poole. “Steph would love me to come over there and play with them, the fans show me a lot of love at all times, the family would love it. I’ve always embraced the Warriors and their system and love the way they play, and you never know what could happen.”
At the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks traded defenseman Seth Jones and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for goaltender Spencer Knight and a conditional 2026 first-round pick. The move was entirely understandable, as Jones wanted the opportunity to play for a contender, and the Blackhawks are still rebuilding.
The Blackhawks landing Knight in this trade was certainly nice, as the 2019 first-round pick has the tools to emerge as an impactful starting goaltender at the NHL level. Now, with the 24-year-old entering his first full season as the Blackhawks' likely No. 1 goalie, the potential for him to hit a new level is undoubtedly there.
Throughout his time with the Panthers, Knight demonstrated good promise as Florida's backup behind star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. In 80 games over four seasons with the Panthers, Knight had a 44-25-7 record, a 2.76 goals-against average, and a .906 save percentage. This included a 12-8-1 record, a .907 save percentage, and a 2.40 goals-against average in 23 games with the Panthers this past season before being traded to Chicago.
Knight had mixed results with the Blackhawks following the trade, as he posted a 5-8-2 record, a .893 save percentage, and a 3.18 goals-against average. However, now that he has settled in with the Blackhawks, it would not be all that surprising to see his numbers improve next season.
Overall, with the Blackhawks being a team on the rise, bringing in a promising young goalie like Knight is undoubtedly a good thing. If he taps more into his potential, he could very well be the Blackhawks' long-term answer between the pipes. It will be fascinating to see if he takes a big step forward in his development next season from here.
NHL Trade Rumors: 3 Blackhawks Who Could Be MovedThe Chicago Blackhawks could be a team to watch when it comes to the trade market. With the club still building up their roster, it would be understandable if they moved out some pieces who they do not view as long-term parts of their roster.
Chicago Blackhawks' 2025 third overall pick, Anton Frondell, compares his game to Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
Currently, Barkov is the best two-way forward in the NHL and is trending to one of the best two-way forwards of all time. With three Selke Trophies under his name at just 29 years old, there is no reason why Barkov shouldn't hear his name said alongside Patrice Bergeron and Pavel Datsyuk, among others.
Coupled with his outstanding defensive game is his astonishing offensive game. Throughout his 13-year career, Barkov has scored 286 goals and 782 points in 804 games, a 0.97 points per game rate. He's also set a career-high of 39 goals and 96 points.
“I compare myself to [Aleksander] Barkov in Florida,” Frondell said when asked about his game.
After Matthew Schaefer went first overall to the New York Islanders and Michael Misa went second overall to the San Jose Sharks, the Blackhawks likely cheered when selecting Frondell, both the best player available at third overall and a perfect stylistic fit. With Connor Bedard projected as the team's No.1 center, and Frank Nazar blossoming as an ultra-skilled forward, the Blackhawks need a bigger, two-way center who would complement Bedard and Nazar's game, which Frondell does to a tee.
Listed at just under 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, the 18-year-old will take on the tough defensive matchups at even strength, allowing Bedard or Nazar to focus on producing offensively, similarly to what Barkov does for Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk. Frondell can most certainly hold his own offensively, possessing one of, if not the best, shots in the 2025 draft class, combined with strong skating mechanics and silky hands.
The Trångsund, SWE native played a crucial role in helping Djurgårdens IF achieve promotion back into the SHL, Sweden's top professional league, scoring 11 goals and 25 points in a 29-game injury-riddled season. The initial inclination was that Frondell would head back to Sweden for the upcoming season, but after a strong development camp and a proclamation of striving to make the team out of training camp, Frondell will be provided the opportunity to do so, and the current makeup of the Blackhawks roster could allow him to do so.
If Frondell does work hard to emulate what makes Barkov so great, his offensive creativity, defensive fortitude, understanding of how to use his body, his high hockey IQ and overall tremendous leadership and selflessness, Frondell could go on to have a stellar NHL career. But saying so is a lot easier than doing it.
This time last year, in a season that bore so many similarities to their current one, a first-place and highly touted Dodgers team temporarily lost its way.
Amid a deluge of pitching injuries (sound familiar?) and the absence of one of its hottest early-season hitters (Mookie Betts, who suffered a broken hand close to the same time Max Muncy went down with a knee injury this year), the club stumbled backward into the All-Star break, going 2-8 in its final 10 games of the first half and 1-5 in a Philadelphia/Detroit road trip that exposed undeniable flaws in its star-studded roster.
Twelve months later, another pre-All-Star-break tailspin has struck the now defending champions.
The Dodgers have lost six games in a row, swept in back-to-back series by the Houston Astros and the Milwaukee Brewers. Their romp through June and the first days of July (when they won 20 times in a 30-game stretch) has been stalled by sudden regression lately, with lackluster offense and a worn-down pitching staff contributing to the organization’s longest losing streak since April 2019.
“I think it is under the ‘it’s just baseball’ type thing,” Roberts said Wednesday after the Dodgers’ most deflating loss of their skid yet. “You never like to lose six in a row. It seems like we’re pitching OK. The defense at times has been really good. It’s just that right now we’re scuffling offensively, to have that big inning or to build an inning and get that big hit.”
But, also like back then, frustration is mounting as the Dodgers approach the trade deadline.
The Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim looks up while swinging a bat during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday in Milwaukee. (Aaron Gash / Associated Press)
“We can’t really feel sorry about ourselves, because there’s a lot of season left, and we know what we’re looking for,” veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said. “We’re looking to win another championship, and playing this kind of baseball is not gonna get us there.”
By “this kind of baseball,” Rojas means this kind of offense.
During the last week, a Dodgers lineup that leads the majors in scoring on the season has suddenly scored the second-fewest runs (10 total, and more than two in just one of their last six contests) of the league’s 30 teams. In that time, they are batting a paltry .190 with only four home runs, a whopping 61 strikeouts and an on-base percentage of .269.
The root causes of that malaise are easy to identify: The Dodgers have been without several key regulars (Muncy, Teoscar Hernández and, until Wednesday, Tommy Edman) in their starting lineup. Their three healthy superstars (Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman) are hitting a combined .194. Their depth options have offered little reprieve (Michael Conforto, Hyeseong Kim and James Outman have gone five for 38 while receiving increased playing time).
And, they’ve run into two talented pitching staffs, struggling against quality opposing starters such as Framber Valdez, Freddy Peralta and rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski, and two hard-throwing bullpens from the Astros and Brewers.
Granted, even $400-million payrolls like the Dodgers go through such dips in a season. And while the losses have piled up, the team has maintained the best record in the National League (56-38) and a five-game edge in their division.
“We’ve just got to put some at-bats together, keep playing good defense and it’ll turn,” Roberts promised. “When you’re mired in it, it’s frustrating. But we still have some pretty good players.”
The concern, however, is how quickly the offense has turned in the absence of a few key players.
Freeman and Betts were both slumping in June, but the contributions of Muncy and All-Star catcher Will Smith (the only regular who has also stayed hot during this current losing spell) helped compensate. Ohtani’s numbers at the plate have declined since he returned to pitching, but balance at the bottom of the lineup from younger bats like Kim and Andy Pages made such struggles feel moot.
This week, conversely, has highlighted what can happen when the Dodgers face good pitching at anything less than full strength –– the kind of confluence of events that could quickly derail any postseason campaign if it were to happen again in October.
"You can't replace All-Stars. You can't replace guys that have won MVPs in the postseason. You can't replace those type of things,” Betts said this week. “The next man has to step up and do what he can do. But I mean, you can't replace those guys. You can only have someone come step up and do their best."
The good news is, Edman has already returned from a broken pinky toe. Hernández is expected back in the lineup Friday from a foot contusion. And, although Muncy’s knee injury is longer-term, he is expected to return this season.
“It’s one of those things,” Roberts said, “where we’ve got to find a way to weather it.”
Still, the questions this week has raised will loom even if the Dodgers start to heat up again (as they did last year, when they started the second half with a five-game winning streak and 26-13 run overall).
Already, the bullpen was an obvious area of need heading into the trade deadline (especially after Michael Kopech recently underwent a meniscus surgery on his right knee that forced him onto the 60-day IL). The rotation could be, too, although the Dodgers remain confident about having Tyler Glasnow (who returned to action with five solid innings Wednesday) and Blake Snell (who is beginning a minor-league rehab assignment this week) healthy for the second half.
Now, the club will have to decide whether it needs another impact bat as well, potentially adding to a shopping list that has grown much longer than the team had expected after another big offseason of lavish spending.
After all, Freeman and Betts have yet to show signs of life amid career-worst slumps. Ohtani’s workload won’t get any easier as he continues to ramp up on the mound. And there’s no guarantee how Muncy will look once he returns, with Roberts noting his bone bruise will probably linger into next year.
It all leaves the Dodgers in a familiar position: Hopeful its talented, but hardly infallible, roster possesses enough firepower to win another World Series, but knowing that — like last year, when the team acquired Edman, Kopech and starter Jack Flaherty at the deadline — more reinforcements might nonetheless be needed.
“We have to do better,” Rojas said, voicing a recognition that has reverberated throughout the clubhouse of late, as the front office evaluates its options ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. “We gotta find ways to be a complete team that we know we can be.”
Atlanta United president and chief executive officer Garth Lagerwey is undergoing cancer treatment and taking an indefinite leave of absence.
United officials announced the news Thursday and noted that “the prognosis of a complete recovery is encouraging.” There is no timetable for Lagerwey’s return.
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles traded right-handed reliever Bryan Baker to AL East rival Tampa Bay on Thursday in exchange for the 37th overall pick in the 2025 MLB amateur draft, a sign that one of baseball’s most disappointing clubs could be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.
Orioles GM Mike Elias wouldn’t completely commit to that idea. Speaking to reporters before Thursday’s split doubleheader against the New York Mets, he cited the 2024 Detroit Tigers, who traded players off their major league roster but held on to ace Tarik Skubal and then surged into a playoff spot.
Elias did, however, acknowledge the possibility of selling on a day that began with last-place Baltimore (40-50) sitting 12 1/2 games behind division-leading Toronto and seven out of the final AL wild card spot.
“I think it’s a step in that direction,” said Elias three weeks before the July 31 deadline. “There’s no way around that. The timing of the draft, and when you have draft picks involved in the trades, kind of frontloads these decisions, and it’s earlier than my comfort level. But we thought it was a really good return and a good trade for everyone. So we did it.”
The draft begins Sunday. In a corresponding move, the Orioles selected the contract of catcher David Bañuelos from Triple-A Norfolk.
After a dreadful start that brought the May dismissal of manager Brandon Hyde, the Orioles have steadied under interim skipper Tony Mansolino, playing to a 21-14 record since a loss to St. Louis on May 28.
Baker was a solid part of that, posting a 3.52 ERA, striking out 49 batters and posting a 1.096 WHIP in 38 1/3 innings as the setup man for closer Felix Bautista.
“This is a team that is moving in the right direction, and we still have a lot of time left before the deadline, but this was a trade with the draft coming up in a couple days that we had to make a decision on,” Elias said. “We didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity. Hopefully, we can use the pick wisely, bring a lot of value back, and Bryan’s going to a good place.”
Mansolino is also hoping his team will get replenishments in the form of players eventually returning from the injured list. That sizable group includes several possible starting pitchers: Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder), Albert Suarez (shoulder), Tyler Wells (elbow) and Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery).
Meanwhile, Baltimore will now have four of the first 37 and seven of the first 93 draft picks.
“All the drafts are important, but when you have this amount of picks, it becomes more important, there’s no question about it,” Elias said. “There’s just a much bigger opportunity ahead of us, and the draft is a lifeblood for our franchise.”
After getting through the seventh inning without allowing a run and the Mets leading the Orioles, 1-0, cameras showed David Peterson and manager Carlos Mendoza briefly talking in the dugout. The manager didn't shake his lefty's hand to signal his outing was done and sure enough Peterson took the field for the bottom of the eighth inning.
However, after Peterson allowed a leadoff hit to Colton Cowser, Mendoza went out to the mound and took the ball from the left-hander after just 90 pitches, opting to go with Ryne Stanek to try and finish out the inning.
"You’re already in the eighth inning -- 90 pitches. He did his part," Mendoza said in his explanation of taking out Peterson.
With the right-hander Stanek in the game, the Orioles countered with the lefty-swinging Gunnar Henderson as a pinch-hitter. And he unloaded on a 2-1 slider down and in for a two-run shot that flipped the game on its head.
Stanek was unable to get out of the inning and ended up walking four batters -- he threw 31 pitches and only 11 of them were for strikes. It was the second straight outing the right-hander threw more than 30 pitches, and his ERA now sits at 4.55.
"I just wasn’t able to find my rhythm and get in sync with my body today," Stanek said.
The decision to pull Peterson was an interesting choice. He had he been cruising for the entire game and was efficient with his pitches, and removing him enabled the Orioles to deploy some of their better left-handed hitters who were not in the starting lineup against a tough lefty -- as opposed to letting Peterson go after perhaps less-threatening righties.
"Once he got through the seventh with a lefty leading off, I knew it was gonna be batter to batter," Mendoza said. "Cowser got him there going the other way and once you get to the eighth inning I had Stanek ready. It just didn’t happen today."
Mendoza also told reporters that Peterson was actually going batter to batter from the start of the seventh inning, "especially with all the righties that were there."
With the All-Star break coming up, Peterson pitching great and showing no signs of slowing down and it being the first game of a doubleheader where the second game will be a bullpen game, it made sense for Mendoza to try and get outs from Peterson for as long as he could.
"It was just one of those where we felt like against the righties there, you know – especially once he gets through the seventh and then goes back out for the eighth. We turned it over to our guys and we didn’t get the job done today," the skipper said.
Of course, had Mendoza left Peterson in the game longer than he did, who knows what would have happened instead.
"We can sit here and talk about it all we want. At the end of the day, we didn’t execute offensively," Mendoza said.
