A former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman just landed a big contract.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, former Penguins defenseman John Marino is signing an eight-year, $6.75 million AAV contract extension with the Utah Mammoth.
Marino was entering the 2026-27 season as a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). However, with the Mammoth signing him to this eight-year extension, he will be staying in Utah for a long time.
When noting that Marino is a very important part of the Mammoth's blueline, it is not too surprising to see that they have signed him to this contract extension. He will now continue to be a key part of their roster for the long-term.
Marino landing this big contract comes after he had an excellent season with the Mammoth in 2025-26. In 80 games with Utah this past campaign, he posted four goals and set new career highs with 32 assists, 36 points, and a plus-43 rating.
Marino started his NHL career as a member of the Penguins. In three seasons with Pittsburgh from 2019-20 to 2021-22, he posted 10 goals, 54 assists, 64 points, and a plus-23 rating. His time with the Penguins ended during the 2022 NHL off-season when he was traded to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for blueliner Ty Smith and a 2023 third-round pick.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 10: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park on July 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tanner Gordon is settling into a new role in his third season with the Rockies.
A year ago, the right-hander was exclusively used as a starting pitcher getting the nod 15 times while finishing with a 6-8 record and a 6.33 ERA in 75.1 innings. His six victories were tops among all Colorado pitchers in 2025.
But the 2026 campaign has seen Gordon transition into being used more in long-relief situations out of the bullpen.
His most recent such outing came July 19 against the Cincinnati Reds when Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer called on Gordon to enter the game in the third inning after an ineffective start from Ryan Feltner left the Rockies trailing 8-1.
Gordon responded by hurling 5.2 innings of three-hit ball while allowing just one run as Colorado rallied in the late innings in the finale of a three-game series at Coors Field.
“It was good,” Gordon said in evaluating his performance against the Reds.
“I mean, obviously, the goal is to win the ballgame. So my job, at that time, was just to come in and kind of stop the bleeding, hold them where they were, and let our offense do some work.”
Despite a three-home run, five-RBI game from catcher Hunter Goodman and a solo round-tripper from Willi Castro, Colorado fell 9-6 while giving the Reds a scare before they left the Mile High City.
After the game, Schaeffer acknowledged the long-relief job done by Gordon, his third straight relief outing of four or more innings this season.
“I mean, TG’s great,” the manager said. “It’s great length out of the pen to take the ball in the middle of the third and go all the way through the eighth, especially with the huge layover after the All-Star break.
“He just pounds the zone. TG is fearless. He goes right after you….He was huge, huge today.”
Through the team’s first 101 games this season, Gordon has an 0-2 record and 5.75 ERA in 13 appearances, including eight relief appearances all of which have spanned at least three innings.
Whether he’s used in long relief or a spot start, Gordon said he just “kind of does what [he’s] told.” But he does have a role preference.
“Obviously, I like the routine as a starter,” he said. “Everyone would like their routine as a starter. But anything I can do to try to help our team win is what I’m going to do.”
Gordon, who was activated on June 30 after being on the 15-day injured list for right hip impingement, has had to alter his mindset as a long reliever as opposed to being in a starting role.
“Sometimes when I’m in the game, maybe the guy before me had a rough outing,” he said. “So sometimes the circumstances when I come into the game aren’t that great. But again, my job is to pick my guy (the starting pitcher) up, do my job and kind of stop the bleeding.”
After his solid season as a starter in 2025 when he was considered a rookie in terms of service time, Gordon has applied what he has learned to continue to grow as a Major Leaguer.
“Honestly, I think the mind is way more powerful than I thought it could be,” he said.
“I know it sounds pretty cliché but, obviously, everyone here is physically talented. But I think where you separate yourself is between the ears. I think I have grown a lot in that sense. I think going into a game with confidence, knowing that you belong here (is important). This is my third year here and thinking that ‘Oh, this is cool that I’m here. I’m having fun and I’m here.’
“But I have to know that I have a job to do,” Gordon continued. “So I think just having that confidence and knowing my ability and trusting my teammates. I think that’s been the biggest thing.”
With that confidence, whether he is called on in long relief or as a spot starter, Gordon will be ready to answer the call.
“I enjoy any role I’m in on the team,” he said. “Obviously, I prefer starting but, like I said, just any way I can help the team.
“It can be a little bit more nerve-wracking in the bullpen. The phone rings there, and I never know who’s going to go in. But, throughout the year, you kind of figure it out. You know the vibe of the game.”
The Rangers came back from the All-Star break and lost two games against the Atlanta Braves. So we’re going to talk about the lone win because it was a good one.
After two innings the Rangers were down 4-1 and after just losing 15-1 the night previous, it felt like this game could very well go the same way.
Going into their 6th inning, they were now down 5-3, slowly making up ground but shaky ground.
However, Ezequiel Duran hit a leadoff double to start the inning. Promising.
Next up? Evan Carter hits a two run homer to right field and the game is tied 5-5.
Texas goes on to score two more runs, with two outs.
Rangers lone All-Star, Jacob Latz closed out the game with a four out save.
SEATTLE — On paper, the move made plenty of sense.
The Cincinnati Reds trailed the Seattle Mariners 3-0 in the seventh inning and were on the verge of watching their deficit grow. The Mariners had runners at second and third, so Reds manager Terry Francona ordered lefty Caleb Ferguson to intentionally walk Dominic Canzone to load the bases.
That brought up Cal Raleigh, last year’s AL MVP runner-up. The slumping catcher is hitting just .163 this season, but he pounced on the first pitch and turned on a hanging breaking ball, sending it 408 feet into the left-field bleachers to break open the game in an 8-0 victory.
Francona stood by his decision, and said he would make the same one again every time.
“I know what Raleigh’s hitting and, he still worries me,” the veteran skipper said with a laugh. “But, I thought that was our best chance to have them not score. We could play the infield double-play depth. And, the worst possible outcome happened.”
Raleigh, meanwhile, was surprised to see Canzone intentionally walked. But, to Francona’s point, Raleigh has struggled mightily in 2026.
A year removed from hitting 60 home runs, Raleigh only has 10, including what was his sixth career grand slam. He entered with just 17 extra-base hits. The left-handed-hitting Canzone, meanwhile, has a .993 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season, albeit across only 24 at-bats.
Raleigh went 0 for 10 in the Mariners’ first series after the All-Star break, but felt confident in his process heading into the game. To have his efforts culminate with such a big swing wasn’t lost on Raleigh, who appreciated his teammates’ raucous celebration.
“It means a lot,” Raleigh said. “I feel like this group’s in a good spot now. … They’ve been very good, very positive and lots of energy in the dugout, and you can feel it. I feel really good about where we’re heading.”
Raleigh admitted it’s been a frustrating season not just for him, but the rest of the Mariners, too. Seattle entered 2026 with lofty expectations after one of the best years in franchise history, when the Mariners lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games in the American League Championship Series.
Despite hovering around .500 all season, Seattle (51-50) moved a half-game ahead of Texas (50-50) atop the AL West. If the Mariners are to build upon their slim lead in the division, having Raleigh more closely resemble his 2025 form would go a long way.
But even after driving in five runs in the Mariners’ third straight victory, Raleigh was in no mood to bask in his glory. Rather, he was most interested in moving forward, and building upon the team’s latest string of success.
“Sometimes (you) can start to feel sorry for yourself or get a little frustrated,” he said. “But, understanding that there’s still a lot of season left, and we’re still in the hunt of it, and we still have a job to do.”
PHOENIX — Nolan Arenado ripped a double down the left-field line for his 2,000th career hit, joining an elite club that includes some of the greatest players in baseball history.
The 35-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman became one of six major leaguers with at least 2,000 hits, 350 homers and 10 Gold Gloves. The others all are Hall of Famers: Ken Griffey Jr., Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt, Johnny Bench and Al Kaline.
Arenado said it was particularly gratifying to join a small fraternity that includes Schmidt, whom he considers the best third baseman ever.
“He was the first to say, ‘I love the way this guy plays,’” Arenado said. “He was one of the first legends of the game to say, `I like this third baseman.’ That meant a lot to me. I’ll never forget that.”
Arenado connected on a fastball from Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs in the fifth inning of a 5-2 loss and received a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd at Chase Field. He is one of six active players with at least 2,000 hits, joining Freddie Freeman, Jose Altuve, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt and Manny Machado.
“This one feels good,” Arenado said. “I try not to talk about things like that when I get some accomplishments, but this feels good, I’m not going to lie. I’m just thankful that I’ve been healthy enough to do it.”
The 10-time Gold Glove winner is in his first year with the Diamondbacks after an injury-filled 2025 season with St. Louis. He was batting .244 with 13 homers and a .739 OPS going into the game.
Arenado played his first eight seasons in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies before spending the next five with the Cardinals. One of the best third basemen of his generation, the eight-time All-Star has a .280 career batting average with 366 homers and 1,228 RBIs.
“I’m honored to share the same dugout with him right now — watched him for a long time,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “The fact I get to manage him is a total honor for me. Future Hall of Famer for sure, and he’s just making our ballclub better with everything he’s doing.”
We're in for a pitching battle between Justin Wrobleski and Zack Wheeler at Citizens Bank Park this evening, with the books installing the Los Angeles Dodgers as +110 underdogs against the Philadelphia Phillies.
My Dodgers vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, July 21, see Los Angeles pulling off the upset on the road.
Don't miss first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET on TBS.
Who will win Dodgers vs Phillies today: Dodgers moneyline (+110)
The Philadelphia Phillies put up a 10-spot on the Los Angeles Dodgers last night. I always look to fade the team that scored double-digit runs, as it is incredibly difficult to replicate that level of success at the plate in back-to-back games.
Zack Wheeler won't be easy to get past, but Justin Wrobleski has been stellar. The Dodgers' hurler ranks in the 97th percentile in Pitching Run Value, and his 5% walk rate will ensure there won't be many freebies to get guys on base.
Also, when will you be able to get the Dodgers at this price to win next?
Dodgers vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+109)
Despite last night being filled with a ton of runs, I think this one stays Under due to how well both pitchers have been performing over their last five games.
Wrobleski owns a 2.17 ERA, 2.99 xERA, and 0.90 WHIP, while Wheeler has posted a 2.37 ERA, 1.90 xERA, and 0.99 WHIP during that same stretch.
The offenses have not been that hot since coming back from the break either. Both teams have a wRC+ under 75, a wOBA under .280, and an ISO under .130 over their last six games.
I see a pitching duel brewing this evening in Philadelphia, and would play this to +105.
Play this to +100.
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
2026 MLB Season: 321-594 | -1.00 Units
Dodgers vs Phillies weather
Possible chance of postponement with an 85% chance of rain and 11 mph winds blowing out.
Dodgers vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: Dodgers +113 | Phillies -117
Run line: Dodgers +1.5 (-170) | Phillies -1.5 (+178)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-122) | Under 8.5 (+117)
Dodgers vs Phillies trend
The Phillies have hit the Under in 30 of their last 50 games (+10.35 Units / 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Phillies.
How to watch Dodgers vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
TBS
Dodgers starting pitcher
Justin Wrobleski (10-2, 2.69 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Zack Wheeler (10-1, 2.13 ERA)
Dodgers 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 New York Yankees are home favorites against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but my projection makes this much closer than the market suggests.
Will Warren gives the Pirates enough of a scoring path, even with Bubba Chandler battling command concerns, to justify backing the underdog price.
Here are my Pirates vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for July 21.
Editor's note: This game has been postponed to Wednesday, July 22 at 7:05 p.m. ET, as part of a split doubleheader that begins at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Who will win Pirates vs Yankees today: Pirates moneyline (+134)
I’m backing the Pittsburgh Pirates because this price is too long for a game my projection makes close to a coin-flip. I’d play it to +110.
Bubba Chandler's command is uncomfortable, but his Top-30 percentile barrel rate allowed should matter against a homer-dependent New York Yankees lineup. The gap is not wide enough to justify this moneyline.
I have faded Will Warren plenty this season. He is not a bad pitcher, but the market keeps overvaluing him.
His xERA sits near 5.00, and his below-average barrel profile meets a Pirates lineup with the eighth-highest barrel rate in baseball.
COVERS INTEL: Bubba Chandler’s strikeout rate has dropped from 25% last season to 20.2% this year, making his elevated walk rate much harder to survive.
Pirates vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (+101)
My projection lands at 9.6 total runs, so this is a very small edge. But at the plus-money price, I'll go that direction and play it to -105.
Neither starter is built to fully shut these lineups down. Chandler’s 13% walk rate creates free traffic in Yankee Stadium, while Warren’s recent form (5.65 ERA in July) leaves the Buccos with a real scoring path.
We do not need Pittsburgh to dominate Warren, we just need them to contribute enough. I think there’s plenty of power in the lineup to do that.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 39-35, +6.47 units
Over/Under bets: 43-33, +12.32 units
Pirates vs Yankees weather
There's a good chance this game gets postponed due to rain in the NYC area. If there is a game tonight, the teams will be dealing with 79F temps and humid conditions, with winds blowing right-to-left.
Pirates vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Pirates +140 | Yankees -150
Run line: Pirates +1.5 | Yankees -1.5
Over/Under: Over 9 | Under 9
Pirates vs Yankees trend
Over is 5-0 in the Pirates' last five games as a road underdog. Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Yankees.
How to watch Pirates vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet Pittsburgh, YES
Pirates starting pitcher
Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.77 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (7-4, 4.03 ERA)
Pirates vs Yankees 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.
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy says the Brewers want to monitor Jacob Misiorowski’s workload coming out of the All-Star break.
The first example of that came Monday night.
Misiorowski worked just four innings in an 8-3 victory over the New York Mets that marked his first appearance since pitching seven innings in a July 7 victory at St. Louis. The Brewers scratched Misiorowski from a scheduled July 12 start in Pittsburgh due to arm fatigue, and he didn’t pitch in the All-Star Game despite getting selected to the team for a second straight year.
“I think we take that as kind of a reset,” Murphy said before the game. “Now I think we have to build him back up and make sure that we are mindful of it.”
Misiorowski struck out six while allowing one unearned run, four hits and a walk. Twenty-six of his 65 pitches went at least 100 mph, and he topped out at 104 mph on a first-inning fastball to Juan Soto. He reached 102 mph on 12 pitches, though all but one of them came in the first inning.
Murphy noted after the game that limiting Misiorowski to four innings simply wasn’t a matter of being careful with the flamethrowing right-hander. He said it was more a matter of “just being mindful of when a guy’s not right.”
“We would have probably let him go further if his delivery and his legs felt great,” Murphy said. “I think he was a little bit out of it. The long layoff kind of affected his delivery and everything else. I think it was important to notice that and get him out of there then. The velo dropped. He couldn’t find the rhythm on his heater and went to off-speed stuff.”
Misiorowski acknowledged that it felt a little more difficult than usual pitching after such a long layoff.
“Of course,” Misiorowski said. “I felt like I wasn’t in my legs as well as I should have been, but I felt halfway decent. Good enough.”
The Brewers have reason to be careful with their star as he makes his way through his first full season in the big leagues.
Misiorowski already has pitched 115 innings this season. He worked 141 1/3 innings last year, including his regular-season totals in the majors and minors plus his 12 postseason innings during Milwaukee’s run to the NL Championship Series.
The Brewers (63-37) have the best record in the major leagues and lead the Chicago Cubs by seven games in the NL Central. Misiorowski has been baseball’s best pitcher, and the Brewers’ chances of making a deep postseason run likely depend on him staying healthy and effective.
Misiorowski hasn’t allowed an earned run in eight of his last 13 starts, and he owns a 9-2 record and 0.87 ERA during that stretch. He has a 1.57 ERA and 173 strikeouts this season to lead the majors in both categories.
The 24-year-old said after the game he’s hopeful he can go longer in his next start and can ramp his way back up quickly after this recent time off. Misiorowski had spent the offseason preparing for the greater workload he expected to encounter this year.
“The offseason last year, we focused on legs and doing all that stuff to get myself ready for this track of the year,” Misiorowski said. “I feel good where I’m at. Ready to go.”
The Pittsburgh Pirates (52-49) look to bounce back tonight against the Yankees (56-44) as they take the field for Game 2 of their three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Monday night’s opener was won by the Yankees, 8-5. The hero? Jazz Chisholm Jr., who delivered one of his biggest games of the season, blasting two home runs and driving in five runs. The Yankees jumped all over Pirates’ All-Star right-hander Braxton Ashcraft in the first inning. Pittsburgh committed two errors on one play, allowing New York to grab an early lead before Chisholm launched a three-run homer to put the Yankees ahead 4-0. The Pirates fought back with three in the second thanks in large part to Jared Triolo's two-run double. Rookie slugger Esmerlyn Valdez continued his breakout campaign with a massive two-run homer in the third to give Pittsburgh a 5-4 lead. Valdez has now homered 13 times in just 33 games and driven in a run in eight consecutive games. The lead didn't last long, though. Chisholm answered immediately with another two-run homer, and José Caballero followed with a two-run double to give New York an 8-5 advantage. From there, the Yankees bullpen shut the door, combining for 4⅓ scoreless innings. Angel Chivilli earned the win and Fernando Cruz picked up the save.
Righthander Bubba Chandler takes the ball for the Bucs tonight. In his most recent outing against Milwaukee, he allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out six over 4.2 innings. Pittsburgh has won each of his last two starts. Will Warren will be on the bump for the Yankees. The righthander will be looking to build on a sensational start against Washington just before the Break. Warren surrendered just one earned run on four hits over five innings while walking two and striking out two.
The Pirates have been one of baseball's hottest offenses, but the Yankees' bats finally showed signs of life Monday behind Chisholm and Rice. If Warren can repeat the form of his most recent start, New York should prevail.
Lets dive further into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Pirates vs. Yankees
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, YES
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Pirates vs. Yankees
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Pittsburgh Pirates (+114), New York Yankees (-137)
Spread: Pirates +1.5 (-174), Yankees -1.5 (+143)
Total: 9.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Pirates vs. Yankees for July 21
Yankees: Will Warren Season Totals: 98.1 IP, 7-4, 4.03 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 96K, 33 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Pirates vs. Yankees
Ben Rice has hit safely in 13 straight games (17-45)
Cody Bellinger is 4-14 since the All-Star Break
Jose Caballero is 2-9 since the Break
Paul Goldschmidt is 3-11 since the Break
Nick Gonzales has 17 hits in his last 37 ABs
Bubba Chandler has 6+ Ks in 4 of his last 7 starts
Bryan Reynolds is 4-15 since the Break
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Pirates vs. Yankees
The Pirates are 52-49 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees are 48-52 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 59 times in Pittsburgh’s 101 games this season (59-39-3)
The OVER has cashed 44 times in New York’s 100 games this season (44-52-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Pirates vs. Yankees
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Pirates and the Yankees:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.5
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According to David Pagnotta, the Calgary Flames are rebuilding and are looking to trade a few players, including center Morgan Frost and defenseman Zach Whitecloud. Could they be good trading partners for the Montreal Canadiens? After all, the Habs are in the market for a centerman and a right-shot defenseman.
As things stand, Frost, who recorded 43 points in 82 games with the Flames last season, is listed as their number one center. That’s far from ideal. While he was a Philadelphia Flyers first-round pick at the 2017 draft (27th overall), he’s never truly lived up to expectations. His most productive season came in 2022-23 when he recorded 46 points in 81 games. Those are not the numbers of a second-line center. However, since the Canadiens are essentially in a holding pattern waiting for Michael Hage, Frost could be an interesting stopgap, as he has only one year left on his contract with a $4.375 million cap hit before becoming a UFA.
If Montreal does entertain the idea of picking him up for the season, it likely wouldn’t be willing to give much to acquire him, and chances are the Flames could find better offers out there from teams who may see a future with Frost.
The reported availability of Whitecloud is much more interesting. The 29-year-old right-shot defenseman has two years left on his contract, which carries a $2.75 million cap hit. The 6-foot-2 and 210-pound blueliner doesn’t play an exciting style of hockey; he’s very much a stay-at-home defenseman, as evidenced by the fact that he has never put up more than 19 points in a season in the NHL, but he can hit. He recorded 124 hits in a season split between the Flames and the Vegas Golden Knights and blocked 140 shots. He would have been fifth in hits and fourth in blocks with the Canadiens last season.
He also won a Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2022-23, and in those playoffs, he had a plus-14 differential, putting up eight points in 22 games. Essentially, Whitecloud could become an upgrade on Alex Carrier, who will be entering the final year of his contract this year, if the Canadiens manage to sign him to an extension. His acquisition would make the Canadiens’ defense more balanced, allowing Lane Hutson to play on his natural side and giving David Reinbacher one more year to mature and polish his game at the AHL level with the Laval Rocket. With Noah Dobson, Carrier and Whitecloud on the right side and Matheson, Hutson and Guhle on the left, Montreal would have a much more reliable defense.
The Flames have been rumored to be interested in Arber Xhekaj in the past, and he could certainly be used to make that trade happen. While Xhekaj brings an interesting blend of grit and physicality to the table, it’s become evident that Martin St-Louis doesn’t really trust him, and it could be better for both the player and the team if he were used to acquire a piece whom the coach will trust. He’s more useful to the Canadiens as a trade piece than he is as a healthy scratch or as a third-pairing blueliner who the coach won’t use for more than five minutes. As for Xhekaj, he could get a real chance to establish himself as an NHLer. Of course, the Habs would need to add something else to make the trade happen, likely futures such as draft picks, but the rugged blueliner would be a good starting point.
ST. LOUIS -- Fans of the St. Louis Blues who were previously able to watch the team’s games will be able to watch them in a similar fashion in 2026-27 through a new partnership between the team and the NHL to produce the team’s regional broadcasts beginning this season.
While the Blues sales team has been in the market selling advertising packages for the upcoming season, this partnership ensures the team will also oversee all aspects of production, marketing, and distribution of a new team-owned and operated multimedia platform to be announced at a later date.
"This partnership is an ideal arrangement for the St. Louis Blues that leverages the production strength of the NHL while giving our organization more control over every aspect of our local broadcasts than ever before,” Blues executive vice president, chief revenue and marketing officer Steve Chapman said in a release . "While we still have more work to do before we can provide detailed answers to every question about our broadcasts for the upcoming season, this production agreement is a key step in that process. This partnership with the NHL will enable us to continue delivering reliable access to Blues hockey in ways familiar to our fans and with the ability to expand our reach to even wider audiences."
The Blues are actively working to finalize broadcast agreements to enable fans to watch Blues games through a variety of ways at launch including cable, satellite, streaming services, and over-the-air providers. Details on availability, channel locations, and pricing of a direct-to-consumer streaming option (featuring annual and monthly subscriptions) are being negotiated and will be formally announced before the beginning of the season.
The NHL partnership will produce the team’s local television games starting this season for approximately 70 telecasts -- every regular season game not nationally televised by NHL exclusive broadcast partners ABC, ESPN, ESPN+/Hulu, and TNT. Fans that don’t live in the Blues local broadcast territory can continue to watch Blues games live via the NHL Power Play on ESPN+.
This partnership was enabled by the expansion of the NHL’s award-winning NHL Productions capabilities to include Centralized Production for multiple club local broadcasts, including the Blues, starting with the 2026-27 season. The comprehensive production services to be provided by the League and its centralized production group include studio and show programming, premium game production, advanced graphics and replay capabilities and technical and engineering support.
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NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 06: CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees waves to the crowd after accepting his key to the city at the New York Yankees World Series Victory Celebration at City Hall on November 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Eighteen years ago, the New York Yankees were a broken team. The clubhouse was divided into factions, ace Mike Mussina had just retired, a young generation of arms had floundered, and for the first time in more than a decade, the team spent October on the couch. It was, for fans who had grown up during the dynasty years, the franchise’s lowest point that they could remember.
Enter Carsten Charles “CC” Sabathia. Despite knowing the southpaw’s preference for the West Coast, the Bronx Bombers put on a full-court press to bring him aboard, ultimately inking him to a seven-year, $161-million contract. The rest, as they say, is history.
Carsten Charles “CC” Sabathia Born: July 21, 1980 (Vallejo, CA) Yankees Tenure: 2009-2019
Like many Hall of Famers, CC Sabathia was a dominant multi-sport athlete in his youth, helping lead his high school basketball team to a deep run for the California state championship, soliciting offers as a pass rusher and tight end from UCLA and the University of Hawaii, and earning second team all-American honors for his performance on the mound and at the plate. During his senior year, he signed a letter of intent to play baseball and football for Hawaii, but never made it to campus.
Selected with the 20th overall pick of the 1998 draft, Sabathia entered the Cleveland organization at just 17 years old, making him one of the youngest players in professional baseball. He never let that hold him back, however: he stormed through three levels of the minors in his age-18 season, and despite never tossing a single inning above Double-A, cracked the Opening Day roster in 2001. CC rewarded the Cleveland’s faith in him by finishing seventh in the AL in strikeouts (171), fourth in K/9 (8.53), and first in H/9 (7.44). More importantly, he established himself a reputation for coming up big in big spots, with manager Charlie Manuel saying at the time, “It seems like every time we need a big win, C.C. [sic] is standing on the mound and he gives it to us” — a reputation reinforced by his Game 3 victory in the ALDS. Unfortunately for him, he only finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year vote, behind future Yankees teammate Ichiro Suzuki, something Sabathia still jokes about today.
Ichiro stole that 2001 AL Rookie of the Year from me but it’s a full circle moment to enter the Hall of Fame with you brother 😂🙌🏾 https://t.co/UVWr1kvMNx
Sabathia spent the next five and a half seasons in Cleveland, winning the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and establishing himself as one of the game’s premier pitchers. Unfortunately for him, he was one of the team’s few bright spots in the period, and after failing to put together a winning team around him yet again, Cleveland ultimately traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers at the 2008 deadline for Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson, and a player-to-be-named-later that would eventually become Michael Brantley.
While CC would only spend half a season in Milwaukee, he had such an impact that he earned a place in the Brewers’ Wall of Honor. In 17 starts — including three straight on short rest in September — he gave them 130.2 innings (more than seven innings per start), allowing just 24 runs. His seven complete games and three shutouts led the National League (and since his two Cleveland shutouts led the AL, he became the first pitcher in history to accomplish the feat) and earned him down-ballot votes for Cy Young. He was a major reason that the organization notched its first postseason berth since 1982, and even though he walked that winter, his time in Milwaukee has never been forgotten.
That winter, Brian Cashman and the Yankees pushed hard to bring Sabathia to the Bronx, leaving the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas to visit the lefty at his home in California. That show of commitment, plus a record-breaking contract, convinced Sabathia to abandon the West Coast and take his talents to 161st Street in the Bronx.
After a slow start to the 2009 season, Sabathia settled down to become the ace he was brought in to be. Most importantly, he put together one of the most dominant stretches of his career that October. The lead man of the Yankees’ three-man rotation (alongside A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte), Sabathia allowed just two runs in 6.2 innings in Game 1 of the ALDS, went eight innings in Games 1 and 4 of the ALCS to earn MVP honors, and shut down the Phillies lineup in Games 1 and 4 (even if Cliff Lee outdueled him in the first) as the Yankees won their 27th championship in franchise history.
While that ring did not spark another dynasty, that was no fault of Sabathia’s. Over the next few years, he was one of the most dependable arms in the sport, to such an extent that the Yankees negotiated a two-year extension with him in order to void his opt-out after the 2011 season — an extension announced, rather humorously, by Sabathia himself on Twitter.
Yankee fans, I’ll be here fighting for number 28 next year! http://t.co/Wpu5FuLj
Unfortunately, after the Yankees were crushed by the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 ALCS, the window of contention slammed shut. While Sabathia wasn’t the main reason the 2013 and 2014 teams were not good — that blame predominantly belongs to the collection of has-beens and never-weres filling out the lineup — he certainly did not help. After crash dieting in the winter of 2012-2013 after a cousin died from heart disease, Sabathia saw his fastball velocity drop to 91 mph, and in 2014, he underwent season-ending knee surgery to repair damage that was so bad it required multiple follow up surgeries.
When Sabathia returned to the mound the following year, it looked like more of the same, as he allowed opposing hitters to slash .297/.342/.484 in his first 24 starts. One knee brace later, though, and he suddenly became the CC of old: across his final five starts of the year, his ERA dropped to 2.17, and hitters slashed just .224/.320/.327. So long as the Yankees made it past the Astros in the Wild Card (alas, they did not), the combination of a hot Sabathia, a young Luis Severino, and an ace in Masahiro Tanaka gave the team the best postseason rotation they had in years.
Unfortunately, Sabathia had a more important battle to fight. On October 5, 2015, CC Sabathia issued the following statement through the Yankees:
I am looking forward to being out on the field with my team next season playing the game that brings me so much happiness.
“Today I am checking myself into an alcohol rehabilitation center to receive the professional care and assistance needed to treat my disease.
I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series. It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player.
I want to thank the New York Yankees organization for their encouragement and understanding. Their support gives me great strength and has allowed me to move forward with this decision with a clear mind.
As difficult as this decision is to share publicly, I don’t want to run and hide. But for now please respect family’s need for privacy as we work through this challenge together.
Being an adult means being accountable. Being a baseball player means that others look up to you. I want my kids — and others who may have become fans of mine over the years — to know that I am not too big of a man to ask for help. I want to hold my head up high, have a full heart and be the type of person again that I can be proud of. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Since this day, Sabathia has spoken time and time again about his battle with alcoholism, emphasizing that admitting to himself that he had a drinking problem and needed help was a scarier proposition than pitching in the World Series, undergoing surgery, or anything else he had done in his life. He had battled with alcohol addiction for years, initially recognizing that it was a problem in 2012, but not truly understanding the need for help to get sober until he spent the weekend in Baltimore binge drinking in his hotel during the final series of the 2015 season.
Fresh out of rehab, Sabathia reinvented himself as a command pitcher who sought to generate soft contact rather than overpower pitchers with velocity. From 2016 to 2019, he was a reliable “five and fly” guy, who served as both a mentor to the young pitchers on the Yankees staff and as an enforcer (just ask the Tampa Bay Rays!). During that time, he was honored by Cleveland with a special invitation to the 2019 All-Star Game — the inspiration, I believe, for the commissioner’s Special Selections — and etched himself into baseball history by becoming the third southpaw to record 3000 strikeouts.
Every professional athlete talks about wanting to leave it all out on the field. For Sabathia, that was quite literally the case. Working out of the bullpen in Game 4 of the ALCS, Sabathia suffered a subluxation of the left shoulder. Unable to continue pitching and with tears in his eyes, CC walked off the mound one final time. As Aaron Judge would say after the game, “He got everything out of that arm.” At long last, his body — balking for years — had finally given out on him.
Since his retirement, Sabathia has not left the baseball world. He continued the podcast R2C2 with the YES Network’s Ryan Ruocco through 2023, joined the Commissioner’s Office in 2022, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame last July. Later this year, the Yankees faithful will get to see him immortalized in Monument Park, as his No. 52 will be officially retired. And as of last week, he is once again part of the Milwaukee Brewers family, as his son was selected by them in this year’s MLB Draft.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Instead, in the blink of an eye, the Red Sox have turned around their season under interim manager Chad Tracy and look to be in a position to be buyers by the 6 p.m. ET deadline on Aug. 3.
Caleb Durbin hit a go-ahead home run over the Green Monster in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on July 20 to give the Red Sox their second-longest win streak in franchise history.
The Red Sox are 22-5 in their last 27 games — which equals their best 27-game stretch achieved in 2018, the season that they won the World Series — and enter their Tuesday, July 22 game against the Orioles three games above .500 and six games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the American League East standings.
So, with the Red Sox scorching hot, how far are Durbin, Wilson Contreras and Co. away from setting a new record for the longest win streak in franchise history? And how far away are they from tying (and breaking) the MLB record?
Here's what to know:
What's the longest win streak in Red Sox history?
The longest win streak by the Red Sox is 15 games. That streak came in 1946 when Ted Williams and Co. won 15 consecutive games between April 25 and May 10 of that season. The Red Sox, of course, would go on to lose in Game 7 of the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Should the Red Sox tie their franchise record with a win on against the Orioles, they'll be the first MLB team to have won 15 in a row since the Cardinals in 2021.
Here's a look at some of the longest win streaks in franchise history for the Red Sox:
15 games: April 25-May 10, 1946
14 games: July 3, 2026-present
13 games: July 18-July 27, 1948
Longest MLB win streak
The longest win streak in the majors in the modern era — since 1900 — is owned by the then-New York Giants in 1916 when they won 26 consecutive games.
Here's a look at some of the longest win streaks in MLB history in the modern era, according to MLB.com:
The longest winning streak in American League history in the modern era belongs to the now-Cleveland Guardians, who won 22 straight games in 2017. The streak reached its highest point when Jay Bruce delivered a walk-off double in the 10th inning against the Kansas City Royals, securing Cleveland's 22nd consecutive victory and making the Guardians the first team that season to clinch a postseason berth.
Here's a look at some of the longest win streaks in American League history in the modern era, according to MLB.com:
If it feels like the LeBron James free agency saga has dragged on and on, it's because it has. Free agency officially opened more than three weeks ago (June 30), and you can be sure LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, had conversations with other teams before that (the NBA is a tampering league).
"We're not going to be rushed. We're not going to be rushed. It's his choice to make, and when he makes the choice, he'll make it...
"I don't know when his choice is going to be made, but it could be 48 seconds. It could be 48 minutes. I don't know. Again, you can't make somebody know something that they don't know."
Paul also pushed back on the idea that LeBron was in no hurry because he enjoys this spotlight and having the NBA waiting on his decision. Again. He said people trying to predict when the announcement will come down have no inside info, this is a process LeBron is still going through.
"I think it's important for people to understand: We're not making this about attention and a spectacle. It's not about a 'Decision' or anything like that. He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make... It's a business choice that he's making. And I think as an athlete, why is it that an athlete has to rush his choice?"
When asked if there's a frontrunner for LeBron's services next year, Paul said he had nothing he could say about that.
Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia are the teams most discussed (Golden State and Minnesota are also in the mix), with league sources continuing to tell NBC Sports they believe he will return to the Cavaliers. But nobody really knows. It's all just speculation until LeBron announces his decision.
And that will come whenever it comes. LeBron will not be rushed.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel hurt his left ankle and likely will head to the injured list, manager Will Venable said.
Teel was injured while trying to apply a tag in the second inning of AL Central-leading Chicago’s 10-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. He was helped off the field while putting no weight on the ankle. Drew Romo replaced him.
Venable said Teel would be evaluated.
“We’ve got to go get it get scanned and get more information,” Venable said.
Teel has played just 19 games this season because of hamstring and knee injuries. He’s batting .190 with two homers and 14 RBIs.
Last season, he batted .273 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 78 games.
COVERS INTEL:Despite the Phillies' explosive Monday evening, 
