Posts

Posted on

Kyle Schwarber secures National League's win after first-ever swing-off at 2025 MLB All-Star Game

A first-ever All-Star Game tiebreaker, in the form of a home run swing-off, took place Tuesday night in Atlanta after the American and National League teams played to a 6-6 tie in nine innings. 

Three players from each team, including the Mets’ Pete Alonso, lined up to take three swings apiece to decide the game.

But as it turned out, Alonso never got to swing because Kyle Schwarber hit three home runs in three swings to win it as the NL outhomered the AL 4-3.

The AL was leading 3-1 after two home runs by Brent Rooker and one by Randy Arozarena, against one by Kyle Stowers from the NL, when Schwarber hit three to put them ahead.

Jonathan Aranda of the Tampa Bay Rays had a chance to re-take the lead for the AL and leave it up to Alonso, but he failed to hit a home run in three swings, missing one by only a couple of feet high off the right field wall.

The new format was adopted so that managers wouldn’t have to hold back pitchers for the potential of extra innings, allowing as many players as possible the chance to participate in the game.

Here are some takeaways...

-For a long time, it looked like Alonso’s three-run home run in the sixth inning would be the difference in the game, as it gave the NL a 5-0 lead at the time.

However, the AL rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth, the last one scoring on an infield hit, a slow roller to third, by Steven Kwan against Edwin Diaz.

Alonso jumped on a 1-0 fastball at 93 mph from KC Royals’ lefty Kris Bubic and drove it over the right field wall for a three-run shot that gave the NL a 5-0 lead at the time.

Fernando Tatis Jr. started the inning with a walk and promptly stole second base. Brendan Donovan then grounded a ball to deep short and easily beat Bobby Witt Jr.’s throw to first, as Tatis went to third.

Alonso, who had replaced Freddie Freeman at first base in the third inning, got jammed in his first at-bat against Seattle Mariners’ right-hander Bryan Woo. This time he got a pitch out over the plate and took it to the opposite field for a no-doubter of a home run.

It was the third home run by a Met in an All-Star game, following Lee Mazzilli in 1979 and David Wright in 2006.

There were two other home runs in the game: Diamondbacks’ outfielder Corbin Carroll delivered a solo shot, also in the sixth inning following Alonso, and gave the NL a 6-0 lead.

Rooker hit a three-run shot in the seventh inning off Giants’ right-handed reliever Randy Rodriguez, cutting the NL lead to 6-3 at the time.

The show of power on both sides was fitting for a game that featured an in-game tribute to the late Hank Aaron, the late home run king who played for the Braves in both Milwaukee and Atlanta.

 Tuesday night’s game was paused going into the top of the seventh as MLB paid tribute to Aaron with a video and light-show reconstruction of sorts of Aaron’s 715th home run in 1974 in Atlanta that broke Babe Ruth’s then record total of 714.

The tribute included Vin Scully’s memorable TV call, played for both the Truist Field crowd and the national TV audience to hear.

The NL led 6-4 going into the ninth but San Diego Padres’ reliever Robert Suarez gave up back-to-back doubles with one out, at which point Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts went to Diaz.

The Mets’ closer was fortunate that Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s one-hop smash down the first base line was fielded by the Braves’ Matt Olson for the second out of the inning. But Kwan then hit a slow roller toward third and easily beat it out as Bobby Witt Jr. scored from third to tie the game.

-Clayton Kershaw, appearing in the game courtesy of a Legends pick by MLB, was mic’d up as he pitched the second inning, and had some fun with it, commenting on each pitch he chose to throw.

He embraced the conversation with Joe Davis and John Smoltz of FOX, and as he went to a 1-2 count on Vlad Guerrero Jr., even invited Smoltz to call the next pitch.

“Smoltzie, what do you want?”

“Cutter in,” Smoltz replied

To which Kershaw feigned indignance, and said, “I don’t throw a cutter, Smoltzie.”

Then he threw a slider that froze Vlad Jr. for strike three, his second out of the inning, at which point Dave Roberts pulled him from the game to get a standing ovation from the crowd.

Yankees’ left-hander Carlos Rodon pitched a scoreless third inning for the AL, allowing one hit, a double by Pete Crow-Armstrong.

-Mets’ left-hander David Peterson pitched a scoreless fourth inning for the NL. He allowed a pair of two-out singles but got Ryan O’Hearn on a soft comebacker to the mound to escape the inning.

-Jacob Misiorowski, the Milwaukee Brewers’ rookie who gained instant fame of sorts by being named to the  NL All-Star team after only five starts, showed off his 100-mph-plus fastball while pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

 Misiorowski threw nine fastballs at 100 mph or harder, including a few at 102 mph, though he recorded no strikeouts. Instead, he gave up some hard contact but allowed just one hit, on a 94-mph change-up, a single by the Rays’ Jonathan Aranda.

-Eugenio Suarez, a potential trade target for both the Mets and Yankees, was hit on his left hand by a pitch by Chicago White Sox reliever Shane Smith.

Suarez was examined on the field by medical personnel but stayed in the game. He went on to make a nice barehanded play in the ninth on a slow chopper hit by the Royals’ Maikel Garcia, throwing him out by a full stride.

Highlights

Posted on

NBA owners ask for new study on expansion, no timeline for cities to be chosen or anything else

LAS VEGAS — Adam Silver spun it as a step forward, the next step toward NBA expansion. It felt like the NBA's existing owners pumping the brakes on that idea.

What the league will be doing now is a more in-depth study, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said at the completion of the NBA Board of Governors' meeting. There is no timeline for this study to be completed, let alone a timeframe for cities to be chosen — Seattle and Las Vegas remain the clear frontrunners — or for new owners to buy in at whatever the price point becomes, or for teams to start play.

"It's really day one of that analysis, and so in terms of price, potential timing, it's too early to say," Silver said.

That feels like a setback to a fan base in Seattle that has been waiting for the league to return. It also feels like some owners want to slow the process down, although Silver would spin it as them being deliberate.

"Ultimately, the league office was tasked by our board with doing an in-depth analysis of all the issues around expansion, both economic and non-economic," Silver said after the Board of Governors meeting. "Of course, the non-economic issues include dilution of talent, how it could potentially affect competition throughout the league…

"The economic issues, as we knew would be the case in these discussions among the board, they're very complex because of how you would potentially value the opportunity has a lot to do with your projections on the future growth of the league. Because you are selling equity, and for every additional team you add, you're diluting the economics of the current league."

The economic factors are complex, including the challenge most of the league faces in finding good local broadcast solutions to show their games to their local fans. Then there's franchise valuations — the Celtics recently sold for a valuation of $6.1 billion, and the Lakers sold for a valuation of $10 billion. How much is an expansion franchise worth now, and what will it be worth going forward?

Those economic factors can be worked out if the owners want to, but is there an appetite among the existing 30 owners to expand?

"I think the appetite in the room I would define more as curiosity and more as let's do the work," Silver said. "I think if I were an owner, ultimately what you're considering is, is this additive to the league? And additive can be measured in lots of different ways. There's additive economically, but I think you're also thinking from a competitive standpoint, how would particular markets impact our national footprint?"

Silver has suggested in the past that he thinks the league should expand, but at the end of the day he works for the owners and if they want to go slow, if there is not a consensus to move forward, then Silver is the guy tasked with being the face of the decision to study it more.

Seattle (a lock to get a team) and Las Vegas are the frontrunners to be the league's next franchises, but other cities and entities have reached out to the league. That kind of energy is good for the league, which would like to set a high price and have enough demand to meet it.

What is that price? What are those cities? When will that decision be made? The league will study that in depth, but it will take a while, and this whole process will proceed slowly until then.

Posted on

Clayton Kershaw is the All-Star among All-Stars as NL defeats AL

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton, Kershaw leaves the game during second inning at the MLB baseball All-Star game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Clayton Kershaw and Will Smith bump gloves when Kershaw leaves the game during second inning. (Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

In a week where so much of the focus was on players who weren’t playing in the All-Star Game, and those who were selected that weren’t seen as deserving, it was the player who had been in more Midsummer Classics than anyone else who delivered the most profound reminder.

Before the start of Major League Baseball’s 95th All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta, National League manager Dave Roberts called upon longtime Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw to speak in the clubhouse.

And in an impromptu pregame speech as the team’s elder statesman, Kershaw imparted the most important lesson he’s learned from his 11 All-Star Games.

“The All-Star Game, it can be hard at times for the players,” Kershaw recounted when asked about his message to the team. “It’s a lot of travel, it’s a lot of stress, chaos, family, all this stuff.”

“But,” the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer added, “it’s meaningful, it’s impactful for the game, it’s important for the game. We have the best All-Star Game of any sport. We do have the best product. So to be here, to realize your responsibility to the sport is important … And I just said I was super honored to be part of it.”

Kershaw, admittedly, was picked for this year’s game for more sentimental reasons than anything.

After making only 10 starts in the first half of the year following offseason foot and knee surgeries, the future Hall of Famer was shoehorned in as a “Legend Pick” by commissioner Rob Manfred, getting the nod a week after becoming the 20th pitcher in MLB with 3,000 strikeouts.

Read more:Shaikin: Live from Atlanta: The next front in the war between MLB owners and players

The honor made Kershaw feel awkward, with the three-time Cy Young Award winner repeatedly joking that he hadn’t really deserved to return to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2023, despite his 4-1 record and 3.38 ERA so far this season.

At first, he acknowledged, he even had a little hesitancy about participating in this week’s festivities in Atlanta.

“My initial response was just, you don’t ever want to take somebody’s spot,” he said. “You don’t ever want to be a side show.”

A side show, however, Kershaw was not.

Instead, as the man with the most All-Star selections of anyone in this year’s game (and the fourth-most by a pitcher), Kershaw was at the center of one of the most memorable moments from the National League’s win on a tiebreaking home run derby after a 6-6 tie.

Upon entering the game at the start of the second inning, he retired the first two batters he faced; the latter, a strikeout looking of Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He then turned to the dugout to see Roberts coming to get him, ending what could very well be his final appearance in the Midsummer Classic (even though, he has made a point of noting, he has not made any decision on retirement after the season).

And as he exited the mound, he was serenaded with one of the night’s loudest ovations, waving a hand in appreciation before blowing a kiss to his family in the stands.

“I didn’t anticipate to be here. I definitely didn’t anticipate to pitch,” Kershaw said. “So it was awesome. So thankful for it now.”

Many others in Atlanta felt the same way about sharing the week with Kershaw.

Shohei Ohtani watches his base hit during the first inning.
Shohei Ohtani watches his base hit during the first inning. (Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

NL starter Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates had the locker next to Kershaw in the Truist Park clubhouse, and joked his only hope was that veteran left-hander wouldn’t get sick of him by the end of the event.

“He’s such a class act, it’s just so impressive,” Skenes said. “We were in the waiting room before the red carpet today, and he had all his kids, and watching him as dad too, it was a cool experience.”

San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb recalled his memories of watching Kershaw while growing up in Northern California.

“I just respect him so much, watching him pitch,” Webb said. “You could’ve asked me five years ago, and you could’ve said Clayton Kershaw was a legend already. He is a legend. I’m just happy I’m able to share a clubhouse with him.”

Kershaw’s lighter side was on display Tuesday, as well, with the pitcher mic’d up with the Fox broadcast team for his brief outing.

“I’m gonna try to throw some cheese real quick, hold on,” he joked while unleashing an 89-mph fastball to Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, which turned into a lineout in left thanks to a diving effort from Kyle Tucker of the Chicago Cubs.

“Hey!” Kershaw exclaimed. “That was sick.”

On his first pitch to Guerrero, Kershaw threw another fastball that the Blue Jays' star took for a strike.

“Right down the middle,” Kershaw said. “I’m so glad he didn’t swing.”

When Guerrero got to a 1-and-1 count after a curveball in the dirt, Kershaw contemplated his next pitch.

“I think I probably gotta go slider,” he said. “Let’s see what Will thinks.”

Behind the plate, teammate Will Smith instead called for a curveball.

“Nope, he wants curveball again,” Kershaw laughed. “All right, fine.”

Read more:Rob Manfred: MLB won't cancel the 2028 All-Star Game for the Olympics

Guerrero swung through it — “Oh, got him,” he said — before freezing on a slider two pitches later for a called third strike.

“I’m getting blown up by former teammates saying, ‘Wow, you’ve changed so much,’ and they’re right,” Kershaw joked afterward, acknowledging his once-fiery demeanor never would have allowed him to embrace an in-game interview like that. “I don’t think I would’ve ever done that [in the past]. But it was actually kind of fun.”

Really, that was the theme of Kershaw’s whole week.

Reluctantly accepting his stature as one of the game’s most decorated players. Accepting an invitation designed to honor his career accomplishments. And providing a reminder of the All-Star Game’s meaning, in what will perhaps be his last time on such a stage.

“It’s a very awesome, special thing to get to come to All-Star Games,” he said. “I remember the first one, how special that was. And I don’t think a lot has changed for me over the years to get to come to these things. So I don’t take that for granted. I think it’s really awesome. I mean, I shouldn’t be here anyway, so it’s very possible this could be my last one. So it was just a very awesome night, special.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Posted on

WBD, Zaslav Say Media Coverage of NBA Deal Undercuts Investor Suit

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels argue in a recent court filing that a federal securities class action brought by purchasers of WBD stock is without merit. The plaintiffs say they were misled by WBD’s statements and omissions about negotiations for a new NBA TV deal last year.

Jonathan D. Polkes and other White & Case attorneys representing WBD, Zaslav and Widenfels insist the lawsuit is undercut by “wall-to-wall media coverage of the negotiations” between WBD and the NBA over media rights, talks that spiraled into their own legal controversy. 

After WBD and the NBA, who had been in a 40-year partnership, failed to reach a deal during an exclusive negotiation period, the NBA weighed outside bids and accepted ones from NBCUniversal and Amazon. WBD then invoked a matching provision, but the league rejected it. The NBA argued it was not a “match” in a technical sense since it came with revisions to Amazon’s offer, and there was disagreement about whether WBD could distribute NBA games through streaming in the same manner as Amazon. WBD sued the NBA last July for alleged breach of its matching right. The parties settled last November and agreed to a new partnership. 

That same month, Richard Collura and other investors filed a complaint in the Southern District of New York for violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint portrays WBD officials as misleading investors as to its ability to employ the matching clause and “omitting the significant financial impact WBD would face if it lost NBA rights.” 

To that end, the complaint references comments from Zaslav, including from 2022 when he told journalists, “we don’t have to have the NBA.” The complaint also cites comments by Zaslav in 2024 when he referenced “constructive and productive” negotiations with the league and when he stated, “we have matching rights that allow us to match third-party offers before the NBA enters into an agreement with them.”

In addition, the complaint details stock price fluctuations that appeared to be connected to public perceptions about the WBD-NBA negotiations and subsequent fallout. Along those lines, the complaint points out that a “main driver” for WBD and similar broadcast companies is live sports.

“The NBA generated hundreds of millions of dollars annually in advertising revenue, supported WBD’s other sports-related shows, and allowed WBD to charge high carriage rates to cable and satellite providers,” the complaint asserts. It also contends that “the NBA provided WBD with a ‘halo effect’ that boosted all of WBD’s other properties, as well as contributed towards WBD’s non-tangible assets like goodwill.”

WBD’s memorandum of law in support of the motion to dismiss contends the case is flawed for several reasons.

For starters, the WBD-NBA negotiations were extremely public in ways that investors and prospective investors of publicly traded companies are normally denied.

“It was impossible to read the sports pages or watch ESPN,” the memorandum notes, “without knowing about the ongoing NBA negotiations, that the negotiations were being monitored obsessively by the media, the industry, and the public, that the outcome was uncertain, and that the outcome would have a financial impact on both WBD and the NBA.”

Numerous news and analysis stories about the negotiations are cited to show investors were exposed to high levels of information about the negotiations.

The memorandum also points out investors and prospective investors could have availed themselves of “the steady drumbeat of disclosures in WBD’s public filings and statements specifically discussing these facts.” Those disclosures, including SEC filings, “expressly warned of the risks” for WBD in losing the NBA deal, including with respect to revenue and goodwill and the importance of maintaining sports content licenses.

Further, the memorandum draws attention to numerous comments by Zaslav saying negotiations with the NBA were important. The fact that he declined to share all the specifics about the negotiations was to be expected, the memorandum suggests, since business leaders in private negotiations with other companies’ leaders could betray confidences and undermine their bargaining position by revealing too much detail.

From this lens, it wasn’t problematic that Zaslav said during an earnings call in May 2024—a couple of months before a matching period would begin—it was “not the time to discuss” details in the NBA negotiations. During that call he also addressed related topics that were not as sensitive, including “costs, churn and [WBD’s] initiatives on bundles.” 

WBD also points out that statements made by Zaslav and Wiedenfels were accurate and true. The two men noted that matching rights existed, which was undisputed, without assuring they would be able to exercise those rights without objection by the NBA. 

“In fact, the speculation about whether WBD could effectively exercise those rights was also widely discussed in the media,” the memorandum observes. To that point, Sportico and other media detailed dueling arguments as to whether matching rights could apply to the structure of Amazon’s deal, a topic that became the source of a lawsuit before it was resolved via settlement.

Still another alleged flaw with the complaint, WBD argues, is that the company knew it would fail to keep the NBA but nonetheless acted as if the negotiations were legitimate. 

The complaint argues that the “quick resolution of WBD’s lawsuit against the NBA” is evidence to that effect. The complaint notes that the parties settled “less than four months after WBD filed its lawsuit” and “before any discovery had been completed.”

As the plaintiffs see it, the lawsuit-settlement sequence “demonstrated that, far from believing in their ability to enforce the Matching Clause, Defendants knew that they could not and did not use the Matching Clause to retain the NBA Rights, and instead filed their lawsuit as a face-saving measure and negotiation tactic that WBD quickly abandoned.”

WBD suggests that a theory positing, as WBD puts it, “Defendants knew all along that they would lose the NBA contract and that the months of negotiations were a sham” is illogical and belied by facts. 

“Glaringly absent,” WBD writes, “are any particularized allegations to support this argument of fraud-by-clairvoyance.” The company instead cites a more “straightforward inference” that “WBD was engaged in tough negotiations with the NBA and hoped it would secure the NBA rights, but, ultimately, the NBA chose competing offers.”

The plaintiffs will have the chance to argue against the motion to dismiss. The case is before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Posted on

NHL Opening Night Features Poetic Reunion Between Mike Sullivan, Penguins

The NHL announced the schedule for the 2025-26 season's opening night on Monday. The Florida Panthers will raise their second-straight Stanley Cup banner against the Chicago Blackhawks, followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins traveling to New York to take on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Opening night will conclude with the Colorado Avalanche taking on the Los Angeles Kings.

All games will take place on Tuesday, October 7, on ESPN.

This will be the second straight season that the Penguins will open with the Rangers. The Rangers came to PPG Paints Arena on October 9 to start the 2024-25 season and thrashed the Penguins 6-0. The game was virtually over by the end of the first period since the Rangers scored three goals in the opening frame. 

This year's version takes on a much bigger meaning, as former Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will face his old team immediately. He led the Penguins to two Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, along with seven total playoff appearances. Sullivan is also the winningest and longest-tenured head coach in franchise history.

He appeared set to be the Penguins' head coach for an 11th-straight season before he and the Penguins agreed to part ways on April 28. It was a tough decision, but one that's for the best, as the Penguins have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons and haven't won a playoff series since 2018. They are also in a rebuild and won't be genuine contenders for a bit. 

"I talked to him every day throughout the year, and worked together every day throughout the year, and there were times throughout the year where I started to think that it may just be time for a number of reasons," Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas told reporters regarding the decision. "It's a lot to ask of somebody when they've done such a long and successful job here to be managing that and continue to transition the team through."

The Rangers, who fired Peter Laviolette after missing the playoffs this past season, wasted no time and hired Sullivan to be their next head coach on May 2. They believe he can unlock more of their players' potential and help them return to the playoffs this upcoming season. 

Dec 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (rear left) reacts on the bench against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

It's poetic that Sullivan will face his former team right at the beginning of the season after all the success he had with the Penguins during his 10-year reign as head coach. He will have the opportunity to coach against Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust (unless Rust gets traded), all players with whom he won championships. It will also be bittersweet for those four players since they loved having him behind the bench. The NHL loves a good storyline, and they are getting one by scheduling these two teams on opening night. 

Sullivan changed the way the Penguins played in 2016 with a super aggressive forecheck and stingy defense. Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks remains the perfect example of what his system looks like when it's functioning at its best. The Penguins overwhelmed the Sharks in the offensive zone, doubling them up in 5v5 high-danger chances, 18-9. None of the Sharks' HD chances came in the third period. Heck, they only had three total scoring chances at 5v5 in that period despite being down a goal.

Penguins Will Open 2025-26 NHL Season Against RangersPenguins Will Open 2025-26 NHL Season Against RangersThe Pittsburgh Penguins will open the 2025-26 NHL season against one of their biggest rivals.

Even outside of the Sullivan factor, the Rangers are one of the Penguins' biggest rivals and have been for several decades. The rivalry has intensified significantly since the two teams met in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. The Penguins had a 3-1 series lead over the Rangers and looked destined to move on to the second round before the Rangers stormed back to win the series in seven games. Since then, a lot of the regular-season games between the two sides have been nasty. 

The Rangers won't have Penguins-killer Chris Kreider for any of the matchups this season, which is a big deal. Kreider has nine goals and 12 points in his last 10 games against the Penguins, but was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in June. Instead of facing Kreider three to four times a season, the Penguins will only get to see him twice this year.

That said, the Rangers still have several players who can cause you trouble, including Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, JT Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Adam Fox, among others. It's going to make for an entertaining start to the season and has the added fuel of the Sullivan factor.

Sullivan won't receive his video tribute from the Penguins right away, as the game will be at MSG, but it will come as soon as the Rangers play in Pittsburgh for the first time. The rest of the 2025-26 NHL schedule will drop on Wednesday.

(Data via Natural Stat Trick). 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Featured Image Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Posted on

Kings Among Teams "Monitoring" Connor McDavid?

The Edmonton Oilers will soon have to focus on re-signing their captain, forward Connor McDavid, and while they have plenty of time to get that done, there is already speculation surrounding him, and the Los Angeles Kings have been linked to him.

Chris Johnston doesn’t connect the Kings to McDavid directly, but he mentions that they are probably watching what’s going on. With every day that goes by, worry begins to grow amongst Oilers fans, and the Kings could try to take advantage.

General manager Ken Holland, who worked with the Oilers previously, could look to convince McDavid to join the Kings if they can find a way to make the money work.

Now, everyone knows McDavid will re-sign with the Oilers at some point. However, until it’s made official, everyone in the NHL will plan for the small chance that he hits free agency, including the Kings.

Kings Miss Out On Rumored Defensive Trade TargetKings Miss Out On Rumored Defensive Trade TargetThe Los Angeles Kings were hoping they could land a defender who had been involved in trade rumors for weeks, but unfortunately, he re-signed with the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced on Monday (Jul. 14). Rumor: Former Ontario Reign Defender Has Interest From KHL's Avangard OmskRumor: Former Ontario Reign Defender Has Interest From KHL's Avangard OmskA former defender who played for the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, reportedly has interest from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Former LA Kings Third-Round Pick Signs In SwitzerlandFormer LA Kings Third-Round Pick Signs In SwitzerlandA former forward for the Los Angeles Kings has signed with the ZSC Lions in the National League (NL) in Switzerland.
Posted on

Mets’ David Peterson turns attention to second half after ‘awesome’ All-Star experience

David Peterson made his first All-Star appearance on Tuesday night. 

Like the rest of his Mets teammates, he was greeted with heavy boos from the Truist Park crowd as he was introduced during the pregame festivities.

The southpaw was then the fifth pitcher to enter for the National League on the night, and he continued a strong stretch of pitching for the squad. 

Peterson set down Riley Greene with a slider out of the zone, then got Aaron Judge to roll over to Francisco Lindor, before allowing back-to-back singles to Home Run Derby champ Cal Raleigh and Vlad Guerrero Jr..

He was able to escape the threat just two pitches later, though, getting Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn to roll one softly right back to him, officially closing the book on his first All-Star inning with no runs against. 

He threw just 12 pitches during the efficient outing, 10 of which were strikes. 

Peterson became the first Mets pitcher to throw a scoreless inning in the ASG since Jacob deGrom (2019) -- funnily enough, the ace righty was in the opposing dugout on Tuesday representing the Rangers.

“It was awesome,” Peterson said. “To be out there and compete, to get Lindor a groundball and then finish the inning with an assist to Pete, it was a great experience -- I’m very honored to be a part of this and I had a lot of fun these past couple of days.”

With his festivities officially in the books, Peterson now turns his attention to the second half of the season. 

The left-hander was spectacular for New York during the opening half of the year -- stepping up masterfully with Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea sidelined to injuries, pitching to a 3.06 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 18 outings.

Now that they are back, Peterson feels the Mets are in a good spot.   

“It’s exciting having those guys back,” he said. “Seeing Senga come back, seeing Sean for the first time, I’m excited -- going to enjoy these next two days off but then get back to work and make that final push.”

Posted on

Pete Alonso becomes third player in Mets history to homer in All-Star Game: 'That beats any Derby win'

Pete Alonso and the rest of the Mets' All-Stars received boos from the Truist Park crowd pregame.

A few innings later, though, the slugger gave the rival crowd something to cheer about.

After Fernando Tatis Jr. and Brendan Donovan reached to lead off the inning, Alonso stepped to the plate looking to do some damage against Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic.

Bubic fell behind 1-0 and then tried to sneak a middle-middle fastball past the big man, but he was not fooled and smacked it 367 feet the other way for an opposite-field three-run homer.

Alonso became just the third Met to leave the yard in an All-Star Game, and the first since David Wright did so back in 2006.

"For me, I think that beats any Derby win," he said postgame. "That's really special, so I'm stoked. I was stoked to do that, stoked to preform the way I did today -- it was just an awesome and incredible experience."

Posted on

Red Wings Legends Who Got Their NHL Starts Elsewhere: Part 3

We've gone through numerous names in each of our first two looks back at some of the legendary names to have donned the Winged Wheel in their careers that actually got their starts in the NHL with a different club. 

Names like Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, Dominik Hasek, and Igor Larionov will always be special to Red Wings fans, especially for their key contributions to numerous Stanley Cup victories. 

Even so, there remain several more names that continue to hold special places in the hearts of Red Wings fans.

Mickey Redmond

He's one of the best known former Red Wings players to a multitude of generations, many of which watched his career with the Red Wings and many more who know him from his work as a longtime television color commentator. 

Redmond began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, where he won the Stanley Cup twice before a fateful trade to the Red Wings in the 1970-71 season in exchange for Frank Mahovlich.

While Redmond didn't win the Stanley Cup as a player with the Red Wings, he was still one of their most impactful players for several years. 

He also made franchise history by becoming the first Red Wings player to reach 50 goals scored in a single season. He was forced to retire at just 28 years old in 1976 owing to a back injury. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Chris Chelios

One of the longest-tenured players in NHL history, Chelios began his career with the Canadiens and also won the Stanley Cup with them in 1986 before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, his hometown team.

Chelios became known as one of the best defensemen in the NHL during his many years with the Blackhawks, and was even named their team captain.

But with the Blackhawks well outside of the playoff picture approaching the 1999 NHL Trade Deadline, Chelios was traded to the club he once infamously boasted that he'd never play for - the Red Wings. 

Chelios would eventually become a fan favorite in Detroit and would play the next 10 years of his career with the team, helping them to a pair of Stanley Cup wins in 2002 and 2008.

He would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. 

Brian Rafalski 

The Red Wings had a considerable hole on their blue line after the departure of Mathieu Scheider in free agency in the 2007 offseason, and they would fill it with arguably one of the best free agent signings in recent team history. 

Brian Rafalski, a metro-Detroit native, was obtained by GM Ken Holland and signed to a multi-year contract. He formed an instant connection with defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, with whom he was often paired, and helped the Red Wings advance to the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons, winning in 2008.

Rafalski had already won the Stanley Cup twice in his career as a member of the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and 2003; he was signed by New Jersey as an un-drafted free agent ahead of the 1999-2000 NHL season. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Posted on

Where Have Last Year's Carolina Hurricanes Ended Up?

We're two weeks into what is officially the start of the new NHL season and we've seen quite a bit of movement on the player front.

The Carolina Hurricanes, for one, have added quite a bit, with two big additions in Nikolaj Ehlers and K'Andre Miller.

But as is always the case, to make room for new players, old/former players have to find new homes too, so here's a look at where all the former Canes who played at least one game for Carolina have ended up this season.

Brent Burns - COL
40, RHD

After three season in Carolina, the veteran blueliner is taking his talents to Denver, signing a one-year, $1 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

The beloved veteran will take on more of a depth role with the Avs and if he can stay healthy, I think he can make a play for the league's number one ironman the season after too.

Dmitry Orlov - SJS
33, LHD

The Russian blueliner is making his first foray into the Western Conference, signing a two-year deal with the San Jose Sharks after spending his entire career out East.

Taking a slight discount from his last deal, Orlov didn't sound too excited about his time in Carolina in his first San Jose media availability.

Riley Stillman - EDM
27, LHD

The Hurricanes' seventh defenseman will be looking for more opportunity up north, as he signed a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers.

The son of former Hurricane Cory Stillman, Riley has already been with quite a few different organizations.

Spencer Martin - CSKA (KHL)
30, G

The journeyman goaltender is heading overseas for the first time in his career and will be playing in Russia. Martin signed a two-year deal with CSKA Moscow.

He couldn't quite capture the same magic he found when he first arrived in Raleigh, but had solid AHL numbers. Regardless, it's a new challenge for a standup guy.

Yaniv Perets - LVP (AHL)
25, G

Things didn't go very smoothly for Perets in Carolina, as despite actually winding up playing in two NHL games, he mostly played in the ECHL over the last two seasons.

He signed an AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, affiliates of the Philadelphia Flyers, and hopefully he'll be able to find a bit more opportunity for himself.

Ty Smith - Dinamo Minsk (KHL)
25, LHD

The Hurricanes acquired Smith as part of the Jake Guentzel deal two seasons ago and gave him a bit of a chance to see what he had this season.

He had some pretty good AHL numbers and got the chance to practice with the main club for a good chunk of the year, even getting into a few games along with some power play time.

Despite that, it seems like the young blueliner will be heading overseas to play in Russia as per rumors.

Jack Roslovic - Unsigned
28, RW/C

The versatile forward joined Carolina on a one-year deal last year and managed to break the 20-goal mark and put up 39 points.

Despite that, he found himself relegated to the fourth line for most of the season (most of his goals came before December) and was even a healthy scratch for most of the postseason.

Roslovic finds himself in a weird spot because of that, but I'm sure someone will take a gamble on him. Just a bit weird that it's taken this long for him to choose a suitor.

Dustin Tokarksi - Unsigned
35, G

Tokarski wasn't sure if he'd even ever play professional hockey in North America again this time last year, but a goalie crunch in Carolina earned the veteran a tryout in the American League and he parlayed that into a few more games back in the NHL.

I'm not sure if the veteran will be so lucky again, but props to him on even getting the shot that he did last season.

Recent Stories

• 'I'm Very Excited About The Team In Carolina': Nikolaj Ehlers On Signing In Carolina
• Hurricanes Target Positional Depth In Opening Days of Free Agency
• Top Pairing Defenseman and Beloved Teammate Brent Burns Finds New Home In Colorado
• Carolina Takes Big Swing On Talented New York Blueliner
• 'Our Goal Is To Keep Getting Better And Raising The Bar': Eric Tulsky On Opening Day Of Free Agency
• 'The Last Two Years, It Wasn't Easy For Me Mentally': Dmitry Orlov Voices Potential Displeasures With Carolina After Signing In San Jose
• Hurricanes Sign Another RFA, Only 3 Remain Unsigned

Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.      

Posted on

Tyler Kolek drills five threes as Knicks beat Nets for first Summer League win

The Knicks won their first game of the Las Vegas Summer League Tuesday night with a 97-93 victory over their crosstown rival, the Brooklyn Nets.

Here are some takeaways...

- Tyler Kolek shook off two stinkers to put up 25 points, four assists and four steals on 5-for-12 shooting from three, most of which came in an electric first half. MarJon Beauchamp added 25 points on 7-for-17 shooting via a plethora of aggressive takes.

The rest of the squad played supporting roles as Kevin McCullar Jr. and Pacome Dadiet were sidelined.

- Drew Timme led the way for Brooklyn with 24 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Caleb Daniels chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds and Quincy Olivari scored 16 as well. 

- The Knicks were much more competitive out of the gate in this one. It helped that Kolek found his touch immediately with a couple threes, an in-between pull-up and flashy euro in transition in the early going, finishing with 14 points, two assists, three steals and no turnovers in the first quarter.

- With first-round pick Egor Demin out, fellow rookie point guard Ben Saraf looked to take advantage with seven points and two steals in the opening frame; however, New York rode maybe their best offensive quarter in Vegas to a 24-21 lead.

- Kolek continued his tear, whipping cross-court passes around and controlling the offense -- he hit three more threes, a pull-up jumper and another catch-and-fire from deep on the wing. Ariel Hukporti commanded the defense on the other end, recording a block and showing off his touch with a little euro in the lane.

The Knicks led 41-39 going into halftime behind Kolek’s 23 points.  

- Beauchamp made an impact to kick off the third, hitting an open three, floater and jumping the passing lane for a steal into free throws, finishing with nine points in the period. The Nets remained competitive despite their poor shooting thanks to a big effort on the offensive glass.

- New York desperately wanted its first Summer League win, though, going on a 14-2 run late in the quarter. A Beauchamp to Scuka alley-oop capped a big quarter as the Knicks led 69-60 going into the fourth. 

- Even when Kolek cooled off, the Knicks offense persisted. Mohamed Diawara made a hard drive and dumped it off to Nnaji for an and-one, while Beauchamp made more plays inside. Brooklyn managed to get the lead within single digits in the closing minutes, but New York secured the win with strong defense and free-throw shooting.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks close out Summer League action with a Thursday afternoon matchup with the Pacers at 4:30 p.m.

Posted on

Francisco Lindor, Mets All-Stars booed by Atlanta crowd at 2025 All-Star Game

Francisco Lindor knew the type of reception he would get for the 2025 All-Star Game, and the Atlanta crowd did not disappoint.

After alluding to it leading into the All-Star break, the fans at Truist Park greeted the Mets' shortstop and his teammates to a chorus of boos.

During the introductions for the All-Star Game reserves and pitchers, once Pete Alonso, David Peterson and Edwin Diaz were introduced, the crowd booed them.

Alonso reveled in the boos and gave a big wave to the Atlanta crowd.

Lindor, hitting eighth in the starting lineup, was introduced with the rest of the National League All-Star starters and received even bigger boos after he was introduced as "Mr. Smiles."

The Mets shortstop gave a big smile and gave peace signs as he ran onto the field.

Lindor voted an All-Star starter for the first time in a Mets uniform and the reception isn’t too surprising considering the heated rivalry between the Mets and Braves. 

And to the Braves fans' credit, they booed Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies after they introduced the trio of Mets.

The All-Stars from the Marlins and Nationals were not greeted as enthusiastically.