Alex Cora: The Phillies’ plan hasn’t changed

Currently, three teams have interim managers: the Red Sox, the Phillies, and the Mets.
When Alex Cora was fired by the Red Sox, it set off a chain reaction elsewhere in Major League Baseball. The Phillies and the Mets expressed interest in his services.
Ultimately, Cora decided to take the rest of the year off. Nevertheless, the Phillies and the Mets have since chosen to replace their managers.
This winter, those three clubs will reassess their options. I expect the Red Sox to consider keeping C

It's now July 6. The NHL offseason has been underway for a few weeks.
We all agree that there are still some active issues (hostile bids, free agents, and the trade market), but we also agree that things have quieted down.
Teams can still make roster moves, but it's not as straightforward.
That made me want to revisit an article I wrote a month ago to see, in practice, just how much the Canadiens still had to do this summer.
The article in question? “The 12 Tasks of Kent Hughes and Jeff Go

The Leo Carlsson situation continues to be the talk of the NHL.
For those who may have missed it, the Flyers recently made a hostile offer to the young Ducks forward. If Anaheim decides not to match it, the organization will receive four first-round picks as compensation.
All signs point to the Ducks already preparing for this eventuality.
According to David Pagnotta at Hello Hockey, the Ducks are reportedly considering what to do with those four picks. The idea isn't necessarily to keep them al

When comparing a Canadiens prospect to a former player from the organization, it's often a matter of playing style.
In the case of Michael Hage, he's being compared to… Max Pacioretty, and that's something else entirely.
The comparison isn't based on their skating, their shot, or even their offensive potential.
Rather, it's their mindset that brings them together.
A recent article in The Hockey News notes that Hage chose to return to the University of Michigan for another season. It's a d

In 2018, Bryce Harper was asked by the league to participate in the home run derby, which was being held in Washington. Harper, who was with the Nationals at the time, said yes.
With his father on the mound, he agreed to go. And he won on home turf, a few months before leaving as a free agent.
Now, here we are in 2026. He's been with the Phillies for a while, and this year's contest will be held in Philadelphia.
Harper, who was invited by his best friend—the commissioner—to participa

There are new developments in the Pavel Mintyukov case.
According to Frank Seravalli, the Ducks defenseman, who was a restricted free agent, reportedly received a hostile offer from a team whose identity is not yet known.Sounds like the looming offer sheet will ultimately lead to a deal in Anaheim, as Mintyukov's preference is to remain with the Ducks. https://t.co/3QiV8ddxWR
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 5, 2026We know that the Habs were among the teams interested in him.
Howe

Paul Skenes, Surprised
He wanted to see Pirates hitters in the All-Star Game.
Paul Skenes on his selection to the 2026 All-Star Game:
“I was shocked that I was the only [Pirate]… we have the third-most runs in baseball. Our offense is just a buzzsaw…”pic.twitter.com/VrWAyosQUM
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) July 5, 2026
Speaking of a player who deserves a spot in the All-Star Game: Sonny Gray.
The most egregious All-Star snub has to be the starter who is 1

Today is the last day for a restricted free agent who is eligible for arbitration to file the necessary paperwork to potentially go through the arbitration process.
With the Canadiens, there was speculation about whether any player would do so. Among the Habs' NHL players, Kirby Dach and Arber Xhekaj are eligible, but Zachary Bolduc is not.
And now, according to David Pagnotta, Dach is set to file his paperwork. David Pagnotta reported the news.Add another RFA to the arbitration list. Montreal's

The recent signings of Jakub Dobes and, above all, Ivan Demidov make it seem as though Kent Hughes is a magician when it comes to negotiating with his players.
The Habs' GM really seems to be drawing on his experience as a former player agent to give himself every possible advantage in reaching agreements that benefit both the team and the players.
Furthermore, over time, Hughes has begun building relationships with other player agents that are proving increasingly beneficial for his club. This

The Brandon Aiyuk situation continues to fuel discussions throughout the NFL. As the star wide receiver is clearly looking to leave the San Francisco 49ers, one team remains at the center of the rumors: the Washington Commanders.
For several weeks now, however, the organization led by Dan Quinn has remained silent. This lack of comment, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, could mean much more than it seems.
The journalist believes that if Washington had no interest in Aiyuk, the team

After a 2024 draft class that many observers deemed disappointing, the Detroit Lions are hoping their young players will take a major step forward in 2026.
Among them, one name keeps coming up: Tate Ratledge.
According to an analysis published by Bleacher Report, the second-year offensive guard is considered the most important player in the 2025 draft class for the Lions' ambitions this season.
Analyst Brad Gagnon believes Ratledge will play a crucial role in stabilizing Detroit's offensive line

The Minnesota Wild are actively looking for a top-6 center, ideally for their first line.
It's not always easy to add a player of that caliber, but the team has been strongly linked to Dylan Larkin ever since he requested a trade.
The team was also very interested in Robert Thomas, but the Blues rejected a trade that would have sent Danila Yurov and Jesper Wallstedt to St. Louis.
Now, the Wild are reportedly in the running for a bigger name than Larkin and Thomas.
In fact, Joe Smith and Michael

The Philadelphia Eagles have built their reputation by developing some of the NFL’s best offensive linemen.
After awarding big contracts to several of their offensive linemen in recent years, another name could soon hit the jackpot: Tyler Steen.
According to an analysis by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, the 24-year-old offensive guard is currently the most promising young player in the organization.
As he approaches the final year of his rookie contract, Steen is reportedly in a stron

Claude Giroux is one of the free agents still on the market.
The 38-year-old veteran still has plenty of good hockey left in him, and many are wondering where he'll end up.
In total, three teams are reportedly still in the running.
We already knew that the Philadelphia Flyers and the Senators were interested.
The Flyers, in fact, seemed to be very close to signing him, but there has been no confirmation (neither from the Flyers nor from Giroux's camp).
In fact, it appears that Leo Carlsson's sit

As we know, Tarik Skubal has a real chance of being traded within the next month. The Tigers pitcher is likely to be the biggest catch on a market that, as usual, will favor teams looking to sell pitchers.
Because every good team needs starting pitchers at the trade deadline… especially if that pitcher is Tarik Skubal.
Of course, we often talk about the usual suspects (the Dodgers and Yankees, among others) as teams to watch. But this morning, Bob Nightengale mentioned another team that c

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk continues to make headlines for reasons that go far beyond the field.
While his future with the organization remains unclear, a recent social media post has reignited discussions about his behavior and his strained relationship with the team.
Over the weekend, Aiyuk posted a video on his social media accounts directly targeting Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. In his remarks, he referred to Daniels by his jersey number, “5,&r

The Anaheim Ducks find themselves in a rather precarious situation today. The team must decide whether or not to match the hostile offer made to Leo Carlsson, which would pay him $18 million a year.
They have the money to match it… but they also need to sign Cutter Gauthier and Pavel Mintyukov. That's where things could get tricky.
We know that Gauthier isn't eligible to sign a hostile offer, but Mintyukov could be. And that means that right now, it feels like the Ducks are pretty vulnera

At this point in the season, and given their current standing in the standings, the Toronto Blue Jays need to rack up wins. But once again yesterday (Saturday), that wasn't the case against the Seattle Mariners.
And once again, pitcher Shane Bieber didn't get the job done. Granted, the starter pitched a strong first inning and retired the first two batters in the second.
But then, the tsunami hit. A double, a single, another single, a walk, and the cherry on top: a grand slam. Fortunately, after

On Friday afternoon, the Flyers stole the show by making a massive hostile offer to Leo Carlsson. Reports suggest a five-year contract worth $18 million per year, aimed at luring the young center away from Anaheim.
Will the Ducks match the offer? We'll find out by next Friday.
But after seeing the hostile offer signed by Carlsson (and the one signed by Barrett Hayton on Wednesday), one wonders if others will follow suit. However, it's important to remember that today is a key date in the hostile

Kyle Van Noy, a two-time Super Bowl champion and NFL veteran with more than a decade of experience, remains a free agent heading into the 2026 season, despite recent developments that suggested there would be strong interest in his services.
The 35-year-old linebacker had, however, put together an impressive season in 2024 with the Baltimore Ravens, recording a career-high 12.5 sacks in 16 games, which earned him his first Pro Bowl selection at the age of 33. That performance served as a reminde

We were expecting a big move from Kent Hughes this summer.
We expected the Canadiens' GM to make a major trade, as he has done every summer since taking the helm with the Montreal Canadiens.
That hasn't happened yet. And at this point, we have to wonder if it will happen at all.
Of course, there's still plenty of time left before the end of the summer, and the season doesn't start tomorrow either. But… July 1 has come and gone, and teams are starting to take shape for the upcoming season.

Last night, Major League Baseball announced the players who will be in the All-Star Game, which will take place in just over a week in Philadelphia.
Here's the starting lineup.
Your 2026 All-Star Starterspic.twitter.com/JH8oFs14hH
— MLBPA (@MLBPA) July 5, 2026
In fact, there's already one notable change to the American League's starting lineup… and it involves the Blue Jays.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (who's having a rough season but was selected as a starter via fan vote) has decided no

Mavrik Bourque was traded to the Nashville Predators in recent days.
And it didn't take long before he signed a new contract with the Preds, as he had been looking for a new deal ahead of next season.
The Quebec native signed a six-year deal worth $5.5 million per season with the Predators: that's a really great contract for the young player… and it must make Zachary Bolduc happy.
Why am I mentioning Bolduc here?
It's simple: seeing Bourque sign that contract must really have the young Ca

Former NFL player and sports analyst Marcellus Wiley was arrested in Florida over the Fourth of July long weekend, according to reports by TMZ Sports. The 51-year-old former athlete faces a charge of alleged domestic violence.
According to Orange County jail records, Wiley was booked on July 4 and charged with “domestic battery.” At the time of this report, he remained in custody and was being held without the possibility of bail.
Details surrounding the alleged incident remain limit

Aaron Donald reignited discussions about his future this weekend, as his name has once again begun to surface in speculation about a possible return to the NFL.
The former star defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams commented on an Instagram post by ClutchPoints NFL that raised the possibility of him coming out of retirement.
His response—a simple “eyes” emoji—immediately caught the attention of fans and American football observers.
This type of reaction, often interpr

The British Columbia Lions finally got off the board in the 2026 CFL season with a 36–24 victory over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday night.
Led by a dominant performance from James Butler, the team earned its first win of the season while handing its opponents their first loss.
Butler was the driving force behind the running game with an impressive 135 yards and two touchdowns, setting the pace of the game from the very start.
His effectiveness allowed the Lions to control long offensive dr

There are some questions surrounding the Montreal Canadiens' net.
One thing is certain: Jakub Dobes was excellent in the playoffs and at the end of the regular season, and he'll start the upcoming season as the No. 1 goaltender.
However, Samuel Montembeault's situation was the subject of much discussion last year.
Let's not beat around the bush: Montembeault didn't have a great season. He wasn't able to turn things around after being loaned to the Laval Rocket, and it's safe to say that Jacob Fo

Montreal Canadiens fans have been spoiled by the team's recent playoff run.
No one expected this, given that there are still significant gaps to fill on the roster.
First, there's the much-discussed second-line center—ideally another top-6 winger—and finally, another big, right-handed defenseman who's reliable on the defensive end.
With all these gaps, it's surprising in a way to have seen the Habs go this far in such a strong conference.
In fact, on the most recent episode of Tellem

Relievers will be on the market
The Royals and the Rockies are about to throw in the towel.
“Two teams that we believe will be putting their relievers on the market… the Rockies and the Royals.”
– @jonmorosi highlights the reliever market with exactly one month to go until the Trade Deadline pic.twitter.com/TgOUqqvOSG
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 3, 2026
What an arm
34 years ago, Larry Walker did this:
34 years ago, on July 4, 1992, Larry Walker demonstrated th

It was a busy day in the NHL on Wednesday as the free-agent market opened… but it was a different story for the Habs. The team reached an agreement with Ivan Demidov to keep him in town through 2035, but they didn't bring in any immediate reinforcements.
They added some depth to help out in Laval, but that's about it.
When you look at the prices, it's easy to see why Kent Hughes chose to stay out of the free-agent market. But we suspected that one of the players the Habs would have liked