Despite adding a handful of big pieces ahead of the trade deadline, both the Mets and the Yankees have remained in their deep slumps over the past week.
The Mets now sit 3.5 games behind the Phillies in the NL East after dropping their fifth consecutive game in frustrating fashion on Friday night.
The Yanks were knocked off by the rival Houston Astros in the series opener Friday too, and they now find themselves with just a half-game lead for the final AL wild card spot.
They are 3.5 games back of the Red Sox for second in the AL East and 6.5 games behind the Blue Jays for first.
Things are not looking good for either World Series hopeful team right now, but a former New York baseball legend is confident they'll be able to turn things around down the stretch.
“I think the Mets are going to be okay,” Dwight Gooden told SNY’s Chelsea Sherrod at Yankees Old Timers' Day. “I still like to say pitching wins, you have to have consistent pitching because the lineup is nice, but they have to get more consistent.
“The main thing is they have to stay healthy because they are right there -- once you get into the postseason, it’s the hottest team that wins, not always the best, so I think they’ll be okay, they just have to get more consistent.”
Gooden feels the same way about the Yankees, who he says are playing not to lose.
“You just have to have confidence you’re going to win,” he said. “When you go out there and try not to lose, you put a lot of pressure on yourself -- they just have to take things one game at a time, sometimes all it takes is getting back to the basics.”
Both teams will look to get back on track on Saturday.
The Mets face off with right-hander Tobias Myers in Milwaukee, while Luis Gil makes his second start of the season against ace left-hander Framber Valdez in the Bronx.
The offseason appears all but wrapped up for the Knicks, coming off some housekeeping items in filling out their coaching staff and signing Mikal Bridges to an extension.
They still don’t have a full roster, however, with an open spot to sign one of their second-round picks and another to add a veteran on a minimum deal. The latter has been cause for speculation, with a few intriguing targets available and multiple needs the Knicks could potentially address.
Here are their options for the last veteran’s minimum spot and who might be the most valuable this season...
Ben Simmons
According to ClutchPoints’s Brett Siegel, the Knicks are favorites to land Simmons, the former first overall pick, Rookie of the Year and perennial All-NBA Defensive First Team selection.
Unfortunately, fans expecting that level of production are likely to be disappointed, as Simmons hasn’t been the same since his back issues and holdout season.
In fact, he hasn’t been a fraction of his former effectiveness. In his three seasons since, Simmons hasn’t eclipsed 51 games played or seven points per game in those games, totaling twice as many turnovers as free throws.
Simmons can still push the ball off a defensive rebound and bring it up in the half-court, but has lost all aggressiveness on offense. He rarely looks to drive and when he does, it’s rare he actually attacks the rim with any real intent to score or draw in the defense.
He can screen and make connective plays from there, a tantalizing prospect under Mike Brown’s Domantas Sabonis playbook -- but this and some decent defense won’t make him anything more than a spot minutes specialist.
Even his defense has slid off a cliff, lacking the foot speed to stay with quicker guards and the verticality and imposition around the rim to protect it. There’s a reason his playoff minutes quickly descended to multiple DNP’s as the Clippers learned of his decline the hard way.
That said, none of the available options are the swing piece between the Knicks winning a championship and falling short, and Simmons represents the highest upside and biggest frame of the bunch, which makes his case viable.
Malcolm Brogdon
New York beefed up its guard position with the addition of Jordan Clarkson, rounding out their rotation of Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek. Kolek looked the part as a break-glass-in-emergency point guard last season, and is in line to fill that role as the team’s fourth guard this year.
If the Knicks have any reservations, signing Brogdon would be a nice insurance policy on their backcourt options. Like Simmons, he’s likely past his prime but can provide some reliable playmaking.
Unlike Simmons, he’s only two years removed from winning Sixth Man of the Year and currently has some more credible NBA skills. Brogdon is a career 38.8 percent shooter from three and has evolved into more of a distributor in his last few seasons.
His numbers have been otherwise unimpressive as of late, but he’s spent two years mired in unclear roles in rebuilding situations. Putting him in position to help more sporadically for a championship chaser may be just the thing he needs to have a strong year.
This minimum contract may be better utilized at a position of more value or need, as the Knicks can always lean on Kolek or their non-guards to facilitate. If they’re dead-set on a guard, Brogdon isn’t their only option.
May 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) runs down the court after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half during game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Russell Westbrook
Westbrook looks like a long shot, given rumors don’t tie him to New York and there’s no clear path to consistent minutes in this rotation. With that being said, he’s proven much more impactful than Brogdon or Simmons in recent years, and would be an absolute firecracker of an add if the Knicks pulled it off.
What Westbrook’s lost in athleticism and scoring efficiency, he’s learned to make up for with his defensive tenacity and high-motor play. He does not take a play, let alone a game, off, and is always full tempo when he’s on the court.
These are valuable things to bring off your bench, especially in a limited role on a small deal, it’s just unlikely Westbrook takes one with three guards ahead of him on the depth chart. Fun to think about, especially in the context of a slower Knicks team, but not much else to consider here.
Thomas Bryant
One position the Knicks may want to heavily consider using this spot for is the center spot. Their current rotation is made up of Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti, and if they start the double-big lineup, this essentially leaves them one backup five to start the year.
They have interesting alternative options at the center like sliding newly-signed Guerschon Yabusele down a position or playing OG Anunoby there, and can always move Robinson back to the bench. However, signing a depth piece at the position like Thomas Bryant gives them more security in case injuries hit.
Fans will remember Bryant from his timely threes against the Knicks in the conference finals. He’s now bounced between five teams in his eight-year NBA career, but can step in in a pinch with some offensive rebounding and rim deterrence.
A report from Kevin Martorano of Sportando stated that Bryant may be packing his bags for Greece, in which case the Knicks may need to turn to another center option. Other names they can target are Bol Bol and Bismack Biyombo.
Landry Shamet
Another thing this roster could use is some pure shooting, as their two offensive hubs are also their best shooters, and their role players could sometimes be iffy from range. Their two bench pickups this offseason are reliable, but nothing extraordinary from there either.
Enter Shamet, who was one of New York’s best bench pieces in 2024-25.
If he’s interested in returning on a veteran’s minimum without assured playing time, the Knicks would happily welcome back his career 38.5 percent clip from deep.
Unlike some of these other options, Shamet has some positional flexibility, with the ability to play and guard one through three. He was clutch in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, shooting 7-15 from three in the series and playing some stifling defense after not playing for essentially the entire postseason.
There’s also Delon Wright, who’s still a free agent after giving the Knicks dependable spot minutes in last year’s regular season and playoffs. He’d be another worthwhile signing if they’re looking to go smaller and more defensive.
With it now being the middle of August, NHL training camps are not too far away, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are gearing up for an interesting one. After bringing in several new players this off-season, there will be plenty of players fighting for spots on their NHL roster.
One of the most notable battles to watch at training camp this year for the Penguins is for the backup goaltender spot. With the Penguins acquiring Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks, he should compete for the backup role with Joel Blomqvist.
Silovs spent most of this past season in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, where he posted a 14-5-1 record, a .908 save percentage, and a 2.41 goals-against average in 21 games. However, he more notably thrived in the playoffs during Abbotsford's Calder Cup championship run, recording a 16-7 record, a .931 save percentage, and a 2.41 goals-against average. With this fantastic play, he won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP.
Given how well Silovs played in the AHL with Abbotsford, especially in the playoffs, he undoubtedly will be in the running for the Penguins' backup job. The 24-year-old has limited NHL experience, however, as he has recorded an 8-8-2 record, a 3.13 goals-against average, and a .880 save percentage in 19 career regular-season NHL games. He also appeared in 10 playoff games for Vancouver in 2024, posting a 5-5 record, a 2.91 goals-against average, a .898 save percentage, and one shutout.
Blomqvist, on the other hand, appeared in his first 15 NHL games this past season with Pittsburgh. During them, he had a 4-9-1 record, a 3.81 goals-against average, and a .885 save percentage. Overall, he had some troubles during his first NHL action, but he should compete for the Penguins' backup role at camp.
Blomqvist also played in 18 AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2024-25, where he had an 8-7-3 record, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.84 goals-against average. This was after he had a 25-12-6 record, a 2.16 goals-against average, and a .921 save percentage in 45 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. With this, there is no question that he has good upside.
Nevertheless, it is going to be very interesting to see who ends up winning the Penguins' backup goalie role from here.
Tyler
Seguin, born in Brampton, Ont. has had many incredible seasons in professional
leagues. Seguin was selected second overall in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Boston
Bruins and accomplished a Stanley Cup win in his rookie year.
In
his major-junior years, Seguin played for the Plymouth Whalers and became the
first member of the team to win the Red Tilson Trophy as an MVP in the OHL. His
best season with the Whalers was in the 2009-10 season, in which he had 48
goals and 58 assists and 106 points.
During
the 2024-25 season, Seguin suffered a significant injury that required surgery.
Seguin returned to play in the season finale in the playoffs with the Dallas Stars.
Last
season. Seguin played 20 games and had 21 points, and with his major hip
surgery, he was unable to play until the playoffs. After a successful surgery, the
33-year-old Seguin played in one pre-playoff game with the Stars in Nashville.
His physical recovery was praised, as there was much work to be done for
regaining his mobility and ensuring he would be fit for play, but he managed to
average 15:06 minutes of ice time on average for Dallas in the playoffs. His
post-season concluded with four goals and four assists in 18 games.
Seguin’s
best season with the Stars came in his first season with the team in 2013-14, during
which he recorded 37 goals, 47 assists and 84 points in 80 games. Seguin is a six-time
All-Star and won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, as stated earlier.
Although,
like any hockey player, goals and milestones are in place. He has played 989
games and has 809 points, and Seguin is inches away from having 1000 in both
categories. However, a major remaining goal is to win a cup with the Stars.
During
his rookie year in 2010-11, Seguin played amongst significant veteran players
including Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas, who are players that
rookies looked up to for guidance. Learning from veteran players and being
under their wing is admired, and for Seguin, this is a role that is now becoming
his.
During
an interview, Seguin answered the question regarding any advice he had for
players in the minors who want to succeed and enjoy the game.
“Just
have fun with it, make sacrifices, don’t party too much and enjoy your time,
" Seguin said.
SAN FRANCISCO – Rafael Devers homered for the second consecutive day and reached base four times, but the Giants’ offense was otherwise muffled in a 4-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Saturday at Oracle Park.
One day after putting up five runs during a shutout victory in the series opener, the Giants generated good traffic on the bases but couldn’t cash in on the opportunities. Manager Bob Melvin’s club stranded seven runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in the third.
Devers provided one of the few offensive highlights with his 22nd home run of the season and seventh in a Giants uniform. He also singled and walked twice.
Wilmer Flores added a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the eighth to drive in San Francisco’s other run.
It didn’t help that the guy holding down the Giants’ offense was rookie Brad Lord, whose only career victories came in relief. Lord allowed four hits and one run over six innings.
San Francisco needed much more from its offense on a day when top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt lasted four innings in his third career MLB start. Whisenhunt allowed three runs — all solo homers — and five hits in four innings while striking out five with three walks.
Carson Seymour helped ease the pain of the afternoon with three innings of solid relief. He allowed one run and four hits.
Shortstop Willy Adames gave the Oracle Park crowd a jolt with a defensive gem in the eighth inning, chasing down Daylen Lile’s grounder up the middle, making a 360-degree spin and then throwing to first base for the out.
Heliot Ramos singled twice to extend his career-high on-base streak to 22 games.
Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s loss that drops the Giants to 59-58:
Serving it up
Whisenhunt had surrendered two home runs through his first two starts this season but was battered for three solo shots in the first three innings against the Nationals.
The rookie pitcher seemed to settle down after James Wood hit his third pitch out of Oracle Park in the first inning, pitching out of a mini-jam in the second.
Things really went south in the third when Washington’s batters were squaring up nicely and hitting almost every pitch hard. The back-to-back homers by Paul DeJong and Josh Bell – both estimated longer than 420 feet – gave the Nats a comfortable lead.
All three home runs came off sinkers, which have been Whisenhunt’s most effective pitch this season.
Devers heating up
Devers’ career with the Giants got off to a shaky start but the three-time AL All-Star has been dialing in at the plate lately and has homered in the last two games and three of the last six.
This is the hitter whom the Giants believed they were getting when they traded for him in June, a game-changing bat with the capabilities of carrying an offense. Devers also showed good patience at the plate, drawing two walks.
Lucky No. 13
Clean-up hitter Dominic Smith’s fourth-inning double extended his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest active streak in the majors and the longest by a Giants player since Brandon Belt’s 14-game stretch in 2021.
During the streak, Smith has wielded one of the hottest bats in manager Bob Mevlin’s lineup, going 16-for-44 (.390) with three extra-base hits and three walks while raising his batting average from .235 to .280.
The Chicago Blackhawks have several exciting prospects who will be looking to cement themselves spots on their NHL roster next season. One interesting prospect who fans should not ignore heading into the 2025-26 season is forward Ryan Greene.
Greene, 21, was selected by the Blackhawks with the 57th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Since then, the 6-foot-1 has shown good promise, and this was undoubtedly the case this past season with Boston University. In 40 games with the school in 2024-25, he recorded career highs with 13 goals, 25 assists, and 38 points. This was after he had 31 points in 38 games during his freshman year with BU in 2022-23 and 36 points in 40 games with the school in 2023-24.
After completing his third season with BU in 2024-25, Greene signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks, officially marking the end of his time with the school.
Following signing his entry-level deal, Greene appeared in his first two NHL games with Chicago in 2024-25, where he had zero points, one shot, and three blocks. While he did not get on the scoresheet in his first two NHL games, he showed promise and will certainly be a youngster to watch next season because of it.
Overall, with how well Greene played in college, he is undoubtedly among the Blackhawks' promising prospects. It will be interesting to see how much of a step forward he takes in his development next season from here, but it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future.
Pawol’s much-anticipated debut came as the first base umpire for Saturday’s first game of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. She enjoyed a quiet first inning, watching as Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep struck out the first two batters before Agustin Ramirez lined out to third baseman Nacho Alvarez.
The Braves also were set down in order by Miami right-hander Ryan Gusto in the bottom of the first inning, with no calls from Pawol needed at first base.
As the first base umpire, Pawol’s responsibility was to check Waldrep’s hands for foreign substances following the inning. During that brief encounter she also appeared to receive a warm greeting from Braves catcher Sean Murphy on his way to the dugout.
Pawol’s first real test came in the third inning when she called Braves catcher Sean Murphy safe on a close play. Replays indicated Murphy may have been out, but Marlins manager Clayton McCullough did not challenge the call.
Pawol also showed she will make animated calls. When Miami’s Xavier Edwards grounded into a double play, Pawol pumped her fist and lifted her leg when she called Edwards out in the third inning.
Pawol couldn’t help but notice her debut was being watched closely. Fans responded with a warm ovation when the video board focused on the umpire between innings, forcing her to take a quick glance at her image.
Pawol will work third base in Saturday night’s second game of the doubleheader. She will be in the spotlight when she calls pitches behind the plate in Sunday’s final game of the series.
There was much anticipation for her historic debut on Saturday. A crowd of photographers gathered while waiting for the umpires to walk onto the field from their entry ramp near the Marlins dugout.
McCullough and Braves bench coach Walt Weiss greeted Pawol when lineups were exchanged at home plate before the game. Pawol then jogged down the first base line. She shook hands with Marlins first base coach Tyler Smarslok before taking her position on the right field line for the first pitch.
Pawol said Thursday she was “overcome with emotion” when notified she would make her Major League Baseball debut this weekend.
“It was super emotional to finally be living that phone call that I’d been hoping for and working towards for quite a while, and I just felt super full — I feel like a fully charged battery ready to go,” Pawol said.
Pawol, 48, has been working in the minor leagues since she was assigned to the Gulf Coast League in 2016. She was assigned the Triple-A championship game in 2023 and worked spring training games in 2024 and again this year.
Pawol, who is from New Jersey, had only a few days to prepare for Saturday’s doubleheader. She said she was told of her long-awaited promotion during a Wednesday conference call with director of umpire development Rich Rieker and vice president of umpire operations Matt McKendry.
Pawol was a three-time all-conference softball selection pick at Hofstra. She worked as an NCAA softball umpire from 2010-16.
Pawol’s rise to make MLB history came 28 years after the NBA gender barrier for game officials was broken and 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official. The men’s soccer World Cup first hired a female referee three years ago. The NHL has not had any women as on-ice officials.
It was fascinating last season to watch the Montreal Canadiens take on the Philadelphia Flyers, not only because the three duels were close contests, but because, against all odds, Daniel Briere and co. had managed to get Matvei Michkov to cross the Atlantic faster than anyone expected.
The two sides were well matched last year; they both scored 11 goals in the season series, but the Canadiens came out on top with two one-goal lead wins. Two of the games were played in Philadelphia, and the teams split the honours of those two, while the Habs won the only game in Montreal.
The first matchup took place in the last week of October, in Pennsylvania, and was a short 4-3 win for the Canadiens. It was one of Cayden Primeau’s good games, with the netminder making 23 saves on 26 shots, while Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher led the charge for the Habs with two points each. Both teams’ best rookies were kept off the score sheet as Montreal managed to contain Michkov, and Philadelphia did the same with Lane Hutson.
The second duel took place five months later, toward the end of March, and the result was different. The former Broad Street Bullies signed a 6-4 win in which Michkov shone brightly, scoring two goals and an assist. He missed a golden hat-trick opportunity in an empty net, and frustrated by the miss, he tried to storm to the dressing room at the buzzer, but the Flyers' leadership stopped him in his tracks and made him salute the crowd after his two-goal performance. Meanwhile, Hutson recorded two assists in the loss while Jakub Dobes struggled and surrendered six goals on 30 shots.
The final duel was on the last Saturday night home game of the season, and the Canadiens managed to rock the building with a 3-2 win. It was Samuel Montembeault’s only game against the Flyers, and he made 21 saves on 23 shots for a .913 save percentage.
If the Canadiens want to build on the success they enjoyed last season, they need to find a way to dominate teams that are lower than they are in the standings; they cannot afford to play down to the opposition. The Flyers finished the season dead last in the Metropolitan Division with 76 points and missed the playoffs. These are the kind of teams the young Canadiens need to learn to take advantage of.
The Flyers' most significant offseason move was the acquisition of Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks. The center had been rumoured to be on the market for a couple of seasons now, and it only cost Briere former Canadiens Ryan Poehling, a second-round pick at the 2025 draft, and a fourth-round pick at the 2026 draft.
On the free agency market, they signed former Hab blueliner Noah Juulsen and center Christian Dvorak to a six-year deal with a $4.45 M AAV. They also tried to improve in front of the net by adding Dan Vladar, who had spent the last four seasons with the Calgary Flames. The 27-year-old was stuck between star rookie Dustin Wolf in Alberta and will be hoping to play a bigger role with the Flyers. The situation in the net has been a constant issue in Philadelphia. Goalies Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov both struggled against the Canadiens this past season, and some new blood will surely help.
When the Flyers take on the Habs this upcoming season, it won’t be a battle of the star rookies between Michkov and Hutson anymore, a battle that the Canadiens’ defenseman won since he was the Calder Trophy winner. Still, it will be the battle of the two young Russians. Michkov will surely want to show Montreal that they should have grabbed him in 2023 rather than waiting for Ivan Demidov in 2024.
There will be plenty of expectations for the youngster in Canadiens’ land this season, but those expectations will more than likely take center stage when Philadelphia comes to town. Michkov had a great rookie season with 63 points, despite playing for John Tortorella. This year, playing for Rick Tocchet, he should be on a longer leash. As for Demidov, he will surely benefit from Martin St-Louis’ tutelage. The coach has always been supportive of his players and seems to do exceptionally well with young players.
The duel of the season will take place on November 4, at the Bell Center, and while that’s a Tuesday night, there’s little doubt that the building will be sold out.
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Undrafted Swedish Defenseman Carl-Otto Magnusson Invited to Detroit Red Wings Training Camp
Despite being passed over in the 2025 NHL Draft, Swedish defenseman Carl-Otto Magnusson will get a valuable opportunity to showcase his talent in front of the NHL.
The 18-year-old has been invited to the Detroit Red Wings’ training camp ahead of the 2025–26 season, according to an announcement by his agent, Randy Edmonds, on Instagram.
Magnusson stands approximately 6 feet 6.7 inches and weighs 223 pounds, giving him the kind of size that’s hard to ignore on the blue line.
Though the Red Wings cannot sign him to a contract this season due to his undrafted and junior status, the camp invite allows the towering defenseman to gain valuable experience in an NHL setting.
Magnusson recently made the move from Frölunda HC in Sweden to North America, joining the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats. Moncton selected him in the second round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft. Last season, he dressed for three games with Frölunda’s SHL team, logging ice time in one.
Internationally, Magnusson has featured for Sweden’s national junior team, most recently at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase in Minneapolis. He went scoreless over five games in the tournament. He’s also been named to the Junior Crowns’ (Juniorkronorna) squad for the team's U.S. tour ahead of the upcoming season.
The Red Wings’ camp could mark an important step for Magnusson as he begins his North American hockey journey and looks to catch the eye of NHL scouts for future drafts.
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The Athletics placed ace Luis Severino on the injured list ahead of Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Severino lands on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Aug. 6, with a left oblique strain. To replace the 31-year-old on the roster, the Athletics recalled lefty Hogan Harris from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Severino, who was the Green and Gold’s Opening Day starter, has gone 6-11 with a 4.82 ERA in 24 starts, including 103 strikeouts and 44 walks in 136 1/3 innings pitched.
Harris, who returns to West Sacramento for a third stint after being optioned to Las Vegas on July 23, is 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA in 41 1/3 innings pitched.
On Tuesday, Severino, who was linked to heavy trade rumors earlier this summer, gave up three earned runs over six innings on the way to securing his fourth consecutive win.
As it stands, the Athletics are last in the AL West, 15 games behind the first-place Houston Astros.
It remains to be seen exactly how long Severino will be out, but surely manager Mark Kotsay and Co. will hope their ace returns soon and picks up where he left off.
LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw outpitched Max Scherzer in a matchup for the ages, and Mookie Betts homered and drove in three runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 on Friday night.
In a rare duel between the latest members to join the 3,000-strikeout club, Kershaw and Scherzer both threw six effective innings.
The 37-year-old Kershaw (6-2) allowed one run and seven hits, striking out four. The 41-year-old Scherzer (2-2) gave up two runs and six hits. He struck out five and walked three.
Both longtime aces have won three Cy Young Awards and are likely headed to the Hall of Fame.
Betts gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead with a two-run homer off Scherzer in the fifth. With two outs, Shohei Ohtani hit a ground-rule double. Betts followed with a 389-foot shot to left field for his first homer since July 5.
Los Angeles tacked on three runs in the seventh. Betts knocked in the first one with a grounder, and Ohtani scored when reliever Louis Varland issued a bases-loaded walk to Will Smith. Teoscar Hernández added a sacrifice fly that plated Betts.
Ohtani finished with three hits and scored twice.
Daulton Varsho had three hits for the Blue Jays, who took a 1-0 lead on Addison Barger's two-strike RBI single off Kershaw in the second.
Toronto's three-game winning streak was snapped in the matchup of division leaders.
Betts grounded into a fielder's choice to shortstop in the seventh. Bo Bichette threw home and Alex Freeland slid on his side and onto his back with his right hand reaching for the plate. Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk applied the tag to the back of Freeland's legs as they came up in the air. The Blue Jays lost their replay challenge and the Dodgers took a 3-1 lead.
Kershaw and Scherzer went toe-to-toe for six innings in front of a sellout crowd of 53,825.
Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (11-5, 4.12 ERA) starts Saturday against Dodgers LHP Blake Snell (1-1, 3.21).
A winner from Jack Stephens in the depths of time added on denied Wrexham, who had scored first
1 min: Phil Parkinson takes a seat on top of the drinks bin as he awaits kickoff. The weather – pretty decent. Lots of noise from those who travelled all the way from North Wales. Ryan Fraser, a fine player at this level, sets off on a mazy run.
Fernandes being in the Saints squad reminds there’s much of the transfer window to come; what will these teams’ lineups look like in Southampton.
Although it’s just the beginning of August, October is just around the corner. It won’t be long before the United Center is packed with excited hockey fans cheering on the Chicago Blackhawks.
It is unlikely that the Blackhawks are going to be a playoff-caliber team, but there will be excitement due to the youth on the roster. Stars like Connor Bedard, Artyom Levshunov, and Frank Nazar, among other young players, will lead the way.
There may be a few prospects that make their NHL debuts during the 2025-26 season. We saw plenty of debuts at the end of last season. Even more are on the way. These three could be up with the big club before the season is complete:
1. Nick Lardis
Nick Lardis had one of the greatest goal-scoring seasons in the history of the OHL while playing for the Brantford Bulldogs. In 65 games played, Lardis scored a total of 71 goals. He also added 46 assists for 117 points.
Now, Lardis is signed and is expected to turn pro in 2025-26. Although he is slated to start with the Rockford IceHogs, you never know what his training camp/preseason could earn him.
"He's slotted to be a pro next year," said Assistant GM of player development Mark Eaton. "Which pro team [he ends up with] will be up to him in September".
It sounds like the Blackhawks are going to let him decide where he lands with his play. After all the goals he scored in 2024-25, it's hard to ignore his potential to play in the NHL as soon as this year.
"Hopefully, this will be my first year pro." Nick Lardis said on the topic. "That's going to be my goal going into the summer. Stay motivated, try to make the team. Whatever happens, happens. Keep getting better."
The good news for Chicago is that he is highly motivated to make the team. He is also okay knowing that if he falls short of making the NHL roster right out of camp, he will continue to work on his game wherever he's asked to play. The NHL is usually where players in his situation end up by the time it's all said and done. There's a great chance he makes his debut in 2025-26.
2. AJ Spellacy
AJ Spellacy is on a nice little run. Since being drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, he’s made a great impression on the Chicago Blackhawks organization. He was so good in the 2024 preseason that he looked like someone who deserved to make the NHL team right out of the draft.
The Blackhawks made the wise choice to send him back to major junior, where his development continued. Now, it’s fair to wonder if there is a chance to make the team this time around. He has a shot to make his NHL debut at some point in 2025-26.
Spellacy's year with the Erie Otters wasn't as productive as some might have thought when he was dominating an NHL preseason, but that's how it goes sometimes. With better players around him, he seems to turn up the heat.
It isn't Spellacy's specialty to be a high-end offensive player. He thrives as an energy guy who plays the game the right way in all three zones.
If he has a good camp and preseason, he may get nine games before Chicago sends him back to Erie, but that is ultimately up to his play.
He played with the top-rated players at the World Junior Summer Showcase, which gives him an inside track to make the team in the Winter. Again, that will be up to his play, Chicago's plans for him, and how USA Hockey sees fit for their team.
Getting a taste of the NHL, even if it's just a small bite, could be good for Spellacy and his development. The tools are there for him to be an impactful player full-time one day soon.
3. Sacha Boisvert
The Chicago Blackhawks have an impressive player in Sacha Boisvert. The young two-way forward was a first-round pick by Chicago (18th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Boisvert attended the University of North Dakota in 2024-25, and he was one of the best freshmen in the country. However, his coach, Brad Berry, was fired. That didn't sit well with Boisvert, who was recruited by Berry.
Early in the off-season, Boisvert announced that he'd be transferring to play for Jay Pandolfo at Boston University, which has an incredibly productive development program for young hockey players.
"I know Jay Pandolfo personally, [I] played with him," Mark Eaton said. "I know what he's about and instilling pro habits in guys, playing a 200-foot game, being responsible on both sides of the puck. Sacha is that already, but it's just going to be driven home even further at BU. He's going to play a huge role on a good team, making deep runs."
When BU's season is over, whether that's ahead of the Frozen Four or as National Champions, there is a chance that Boisvert signs with the Blackhawks and makes his NHL debut. He'd likely only get 2-7 games with the Blackhawks, depending on when he signed, but it would be a great experience nonetheless.
