Verlander, Astros Rout Mariners; Judge Hits Two More HRs

The Houston Astros' dominance over the Seattle Mariners continued on Friday night behind the arm of Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander in an 11-1 blowout. Verlander allowed just one run while pitching in to the eighth inning, earning his major league leading 14th win of the season. The right-hander allowed five hits and struck out five batters, while last year's Cy Young winner, Robbie Ray, struggled. Yordan Alvarez added to those struggles with his 30th home run of the season. Ray went just 2.2 innings, giving up four runs on five hits and throwing 84 pitches in his eighth loss. Over his past three starts against Houston, he has given up 14 runs over 10.2 innings. Meanwhile, Verlander has given up three runs over four starts and 26.2 innings in July. Aaron Judge's quest for betting on himself and winning the MVP included two more home runs in the New York Yankees' 11-5 rout of the Kansas City Royals on Friday. Judge connected on home runs number 40 and 41, including a grand slam, becoming the first player to 40 homers this season. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had the tiebreaking single in the eighth, giving the Yankees their 29th comeback win of the season. Since the All-Star break, Judge has eight home runs and 19 RBIs over nine games, and is now on pace for 66 home runs. Anthony Rizzo also went deep in this one, going back-to-back with Judge early on. Salvador Perez gave the Royals an early lead with a three-run shot, while Whit Merrifield added a two-run single. Andrew Benintendi recorded his first hit, RBI, and run scored as a member of the Yankees. Other key scores saw the San Diego Padres use five home runs to power a 10-1 blowout of the Minnesota Twins. The Los Angeles Dodgers moved to 20-4 in the month of July with a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. Jose Ramirez homered and drove in three runs as the Cleveland Guardians bested the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-1. Willi Castro homered for a second straight day as the Detroit Tigers doubled-up the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-2. Christian Yelich drove home the go-ahead run in the Milwaukee Brewers' 4-1 road win against the Boston Red Sox. Nolan Gorman and Lars Nootbar hit back-to-back homers as the St. Louis Cardinals topped the Washington Nationals, 6-2. Starling Marte had three hits, Brandon Nimmo had the go-ahead homer in the New York Mets' 6-4 win against the Miami Marlins. Austin Riley homered again to stay hot as the Atlanta Braves got the best of the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-2. And Rhys Hoskins homered in the 10th to lift the Philadelphia Phillies past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-2.

Mariners Acquire Luis Castillo From Reds

One of the biggest trading blocks on the Trade Deadline market fell on Friday night, as the Seattle Mariners bolstered their starting rotation by acquiring pitcher Luis Castillo from the Cincinnati Reds. The Mariners sent the likes of Noelvi Marte, Levi Stoudt, Edwin Arroyo, and Andrew Moore to the Reds, all of which are minor league players. This move is a step toward the Mariners reaching the Postseason for the first time since 2001. Seattle sits at 54-47 after Friday's loss, 12 games behind the Houston Astros in the AL West, and holding the second of three AL Wild Card spots. The 29-year-old Castillo is 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA over 14 starts this season, striking out 90 and walking 28 over 85 innings. He will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season. The right-hander has bounced back from a poor 2021 that saw him lose 16 games and lead the majors with 75 walks. Castillo has also dominated the American League this season, posting a 1.38 ERA against them, which is second only behind Clayton Kershaw.

Padres, Joe Musgrove Closing in on $100 Million Deal

The San Diego Padres are closing in on a deal to keep starting pitcher Joe Musgrove around for a while, as the two sides are about to agree to a five-year, $100 million contract. The deal would start next year and was revealed before the Padres' 10-1 rout of the Minnesota Twins on Friday. People with knowledge of the situation expect the deal to be finalized within the next few days. He would be the first pitcher in Padres history to earn a $100 million contract. Musgrove made his first All-Star team this season for the Padres, going 8-3 with a 2.63 ERA. San Diego acquired him from the Pittsburgh Pirates in January. Over his seven-year career, he is 48-50 with a 3.83 ERA. The right-hander is scheduled to start against the Twins on Saturday.

Giants' Joc Pederson Lands on Concussion IL

The San Francisco Giants were forced to place All-Star outfielder Joc Pederson on the concussion injured list Friday after he started to experience symptoms. This IL has him out for at least seven days, and infielder Jason Vosler has been recalled to fill in during that time. Pederson made the All-Star team this season, this after signing a $6 million deal last winter. He is batting .242 with 17 home runs over 285 plate appearances. The 30-year-old is coming off a run with the Giants' NL West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as a World Series win last year with the Atlanta Braves.  The Giants currently sit at 49-51 after last night's loss to the Chicago Cubs, as they are three games out of the NL Wild Card picture.

Diamondbacks' Tyler Gilbert Placed on Injured List

The Arizona Diamondbacks took a blow to their starting rotation, placing pitcher Tyler Gilbert on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left elbow. The team announced the move on Twitter Friday afternoon. Gilbert has made eight appearances this season, including seven starts, and has a 5.24 ERA over 34.1 innings. He most recently pitched four innings and threw 71 pitches in his last start on Saturday, before exiting with elbow soreness. The team is expected to turn to Tommy Henry to replace him in the rotation while he is sidelined.

Buccaneers' Ryan Jensen Out With Knee Injury

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line will start the season shorthanded most likely after center Ryan Jensen went down with a knee injury in practice. Jensen is expected to miss a "significant" amount of time, which could be multiple months. The injury occurred during practice on Thursday and is to his left knee. They are waiting on more results from an MRI. this after he was carted off the field. Bucs' head coach Todd Bowles said the likes of Robert Hainsey and Nick Leverett will fill the void. The 31-year-old Jensen signed a three-year deal with the Bucs in March and was the first Buc to re-sign. He joined the team as a free agent in 2018 and went on to give up just two sacks last season while posting a 93.1% pass block win rate the past two seasons.

Niners' Armstead to Miss a Few Weeks

The San Francisco 49ers have sidelined defensive tackle Arik Armstead for "a few weeks" with what is being called a knee sprain. Armstead sprained his right knee during the first practice of training camp on Wednesday. The injury occurred when he collided with an offensive lineman during team drills. The Niners are reportedly not concerned with the injury long term. Armstead finished fourth at his position with 46 tackles and tied for ninth with four sacks last year. He added three sacks in three postseason games, which helped San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game.

Ryan Kerrigan Retiring as Member of Commanders

Defensive end Ryan Kerrigan announced on Friday that he is signing a one-day contract with the Washington Commanders and retiring from the NFL. This will allow him to retire as a member of the team that drafted him back in 2011. He finishes as the Commanders' all-time sacks leader with 95.5. Kerrigan will hold a press conference on Saturday morning to make this news official. The big man spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was drafted 16th overall and was instantly a starter. There was a five-year run that saw Kerrigan post 13 sacks three times and record 60 overall in that span. The defensive end went on to appear in every game for his first eight seasons, as he didn't miss a game for 139 straight weeks. Kerrigan ended up making four Pro Bowls with Washington before leaving as a free agent in 2021.

Ducks, John Klingberg Aree on One-Year Deal

The Anaheim Ducks added to their blue line on Friday, giving defenseman John Klingberg a one-year contract to come out west. The blue liner posted 47 points over 74 games last season, making him one of the more popular free agents. The former Dallas Stars defenseman is coming off a seven-year contract that was worth $29.75 million. He had to move on from the Stars due to them committing to the likes of Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen. His other top season with Dallas came in the 2017-2018 campaign, where he had 67 points. Over his first eight seasons, he posted 71 goals and 303 assists.

Judge Walks Yankees Off Against Royals; Bregman Rallies Astros

Aaron Judge added to his MVP resume on Thursday night, powering his New York Yankees back to their winning ways, 1-0, over the Kansas City Royals. Judge connected on a walk-off solo home run in the ninth inning, his third walk-off homer of the season. The long ball was also his 39th of the season, good for the major league lead. Scott Barlow gave up the big hit for his third loss of the year on a home run that traveled 431 feet. The slugger had never hit a walk-off home run before this season, but he is now the first Yankee with four walk-off hits of any kind in one season. He also added his 10th stole base of the season in the Yankees' first 1-0 walk-off HR win since April 22nd, 2004. The Yankees now have 12 walk-off wins this season, which is good for second-most through a team's first 100 games. Andrew Benintendi made his Yankee debut, but went 0-for-4 with a strikeout against his former team. The Houston Astros continued to keep the Seattle Mariners' number, this time on their home field, doubling up the red hot team, 4-2, on Thursday. Alex Bregman went deep and drove home three runs to help the Astros rally late. Bregman had a two-run shot early on, and then added the go-ahead RBI double in the eighth. The third baseman came around to score on a ground ball, and was shaken up while sliding in to home. Rafael Montero recorded four outs to get his fourth win, while Ryan Pressly threw a scoreless ninth for his 21st save in 24 chances. The closer has now retired 32 consecutive batters, which ties Justin Verlander for the longest streak in franchise history. Other key scores saw Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run shot as the Boston Red Sox split with the Cleveland Guardians with a 4-2 victory. Trey Mancini had an inside-the-park home run in the Baltimore Orioles' 3-0 shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays. Matt Chapman homered twice to power the Toronto Blue Jays past the Detroit Tigers, 5-3.  Kyle Schwarber hit his 32nd long ball as the Philadelphia Phillies held off the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-7. And the Los Angeles Dodgers gave up just seven hits in a 13-0 blowout of the Colorado Rockies.

Mets Acquire Tyler Naquin, Phillip Diehl From Reds

The New York Mets made another move ahead of the Trade Deadline next week, getting outfielder Tyler Naquin and pitcher Phillip Diehl from the Cincinnati Reds. The deal on Thursday night saw two minor league players go to the Reds. Naquin is hitting .246 this season with seven home runs and 33 RBIs over 56 games. His most recent performance saw him homer and drive home two runs in Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Miami Marlins. The 31-year-old is a former first-round draft pick and is a career .280 hitter. This is the second move the Mets made for a bat, as they also got Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Diehl has made 21 career appearances, and has a 2-1 record with a 4.24 ERA in Triple-A this season.

Mets' Drew Smith Lands on Injured List

The New York Mets were forced to place pitcher Drew Smith on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a strained right lat muscle. The move is retroactive to Monday, which is one day after Smith gave up an RBI double to Eric Hosmer on Sunday night. He did get the win in that game after his team rallied at home. The 28-year-old had a 1.99 ERA over 29 appearances through June 24th, but since then has posted an 8.68 ERA. Smith has given up at least a run in six of his last eight appearances. That includes four home runs in that span, and he has now surrendered eight long balls in 41 innings this season.

Seahawks Lock in DK Metcalf With Extension

The Seattle Seahawks were able to reach the agreement necessary to keep wide receiver DK Metcalf happy, giving him a three-year contract extension on Thursday. The deal is worth $72 million and includes $58.2 million in guaranteed money. There is also a $30 million signing bonus, which is the highest ever for a wide receiver. He will now make $24 million per season, which surpasses Jamal Adams' $17.5 million for the highest in franchise history. Metcalf is now tied with Stefon Diggs of the Buffalo Bills for the sixth-most annual average salary among NFL receivers. This contract will now allow Metcalf to become a free agent at the age of 28. Over his first three NFL seasons, he has 216 catches for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns. His lone Pro Bowl appearance came in 2020 and he has not missed a game since entering the league.

Kwon Alexander Agrees to Deal With Jets

Veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander has agreed to a deal with the New York Jets as of Thursday, which reunites him with head coach Robert Saleh. Saleh was Alexander's defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Alexander will be used as an outside linebacker, joining the likes of C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams. He is now the fourth defensive player to join Saleh with the Jets after spending time together with the Niners. The veteran had to overcome a torn Achilles tendon in Week 16 of the 2020 season. But he came back strong last season, posting 50 tackles and a career-high 3.5 sacks to go with an interception and forced fumble over 12 games. Although, the 27-year-old started just eight games for the Saints due to an ankle injury. The former fourth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the Pro Bowl once in the 2017 season.

Chiefs Sign DE Carlos Dunlap

The Kansas City Chiefs added to their defense on Thursday, giving defensive end Carlos Dunlap a one-year contract. The deal is worth $8 million and adds to a Chiefs defense that ranked 29th last season. This comes after they lost one of their top pass rushers, Melvin Ingram, to free agency with the Miami Dolphins. Dunlap was released by the Seattle Seahawks on March 18th. The 33-year-old finished the season strong, recording eight sacks over the final six games. The veteran spent his first 10.5 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, who drafted him in the second round. His 96 career sacks are eighth most among active NFL players.

Rangers Sign Kaapo Kakko to Two-Year Deal

The New York Rangers gave young star Kaapo Kakko a new two-year contract on Thursday, which will pay him $4.2 million. The former second overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft now has a salary cap hit of $2.1 million. The 21-year-old appeared in 43 games last season and finished with seven goals and 11 assists to go with a plus-nine rating. Over 157 career games, he has posted 26 goals and 32 assists. His best season was his rookie campaign in 2019-2020, where he had 10 goals and 13 assists in 66 games.

Hurricanes Give Ethan Bear One-Year Contract

The Carolina Hurricanes are keeping defenseman Ethan Bear around, giving him a one-year contract on Thursday afternoon. The contract will pay him $2.2 million for the 2022-2023 campaign. This comes exactly one year after the 'Canes acquired him from the Edmonton Oilers. Bear went on to post five goals and nine assists over 58 games last season. He did deal with a battle against COVID at one point, and then was a healthy scratch for all 14 of their playoff games. The 25-year-old was set for a hearing on August 8th as a restricted free agent.

Mets Walk Off For Mini-Sweep; Cardinals Slow Down Blue Jays

The New York Mets proved that they will not lie down for the New York Yankees this season, earning a mini sweep of the Bronx Bombers with a 3-2 walk-off win Wednesday night. Starling Marte singled home the winning run in the ninth inning, as the Mets took both games from their rivals. Max Scherzer was dominant on his 38th birthday, striking out Aaron Judge three times before exiting. Scherzer ended up allowing five hits over seven shutout innings and striking six. The Yankees finished the game 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Gleyber Torres' game-tying two-run home run was the only source of offense from the Yankees. Pete Alonso homered early on in the game, helping the Mets to their first sweep of the Yankees since 2014. Albert Pujols had a huge day, as the St. Louis Cardinals put an end to the Toronto Blue Jays' winning streak with a 6-1 rout north of the border. Pujols had three hits, including a three-run home run to power the shorthanded Cardinals. The future Hall of Famer passed Rogers Hornsby for fourth on the Cardinals' all-time hit list, and is also fifth all time with 686 home runs. The Blue Jays saw their winning streak end at seven games, as they got just one run against Adam Wainwright. Wainwright got his seventh win and his first since June 27th against the Miami Marlins. Bo Bichette's RBI single in the fourth inning was good for the Blue Jays' only run on this night. ​Other key scores saw Rowdy Tellez homer twice to power the Milwaukee Brewers' 10-4 rout of the Minnesota Twins. Alec Bohm had the go-ahead hit during a five-run fifth in the Philadelphia Phillies' 7-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. Julio Rodriguez's three-run blast was the difference in the Seattle Mariners' 4-2 home win against the Texas Rangers. Randy Arozarena's two-run double lifted the Tampa Bay Rays past the Baltimore Orioles, 6-4, in 10 innings. Josh Naylor's homer in the ninth powered the Cleveland Guardians past the Boston Red Sox, 7-6. The Los Angeles Dodgers used a six-run first inning to blow past the Washington Nationals, 7-1. Victor Reyes' walk-off, two-run double gave the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 upset of the San Diego Padres. And the Oakland Athletics handed the Houston Astros their first sweep of the season with a 4-2 home win.

Yankees Acquire OF Andrew Benintendi From Royals

The New York Yankees went from getting swept by the New York Mets, to bolstering their lineup, as they acquired outfielder Andrew Benintendi from the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night. The Yankees sent three minor league pitching prospects to the Royals in exchange. The 28-year-old Benintendi was an All-Star for the first time this season. He is batting .320 this season, which is good for third in the American League. The former Boston Red Sox hitter has three home runs and 39 RBIs over 93 games. This comes the same week that the Yankees had to place Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list left Achilles tendinitis. The one downside is that Benintendi is unvaccinated, so he will not be able to play in the Yankees' final three games in Toronto.

Angels' Mike Trout Dealing With "Pretty Rare" Back Condition

Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout is reportedly dealing with a "pretty rare" back condition that will stick with him for the rest of his career. This news came from Angels head athletic trainer Mike Frostad on Wednesday. The Angels placed Trout on the injured list on July 18th, causing him to miss the All-Star Game in Los Angeles. The team called the injury rib cage inflammation that was causing pain in his back. He was expected to return quickly, but he has now been diagnosed with a costovertebal dysfunction at his T5 vertebrae. The 30-year-old had a cortisone shot in his back last week, and resumed baseball activities on Wednesday. The three-time AL MVP is hitting .270 with 24 home runs and 51 RBIs over 79 games this season.

LB KJ Wright Retires After 11 NFL Seasons

Linebacker KJ Wright announced his retirement from the National Football League on Wednesday, this after 11 seasons in the league. Wright signed a one-day contract with the Seattle Seahawks so that he could retire with them. He spent 10 seasons with the Seahawks as a starting linebacker, helping them to two Super Bowls and one ring. His final season was in 2021, which was spent with the Las Vegas Raiders. The linebacker was reportedly only interested in a 12th NFL season if it was with Seattle, but they are focusing on their younger players at that position. The 32-year-old finished his career posting 51 tackles over 17 games, including eight starts, last season. Over his NFL career, he finishes with 992 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and six interceptions over 161 games.

49ers Release Defensive End Dee Ford

The San Francisco 49ers have officially parted ways with a guy that could not stay healthy, releasing defensive end Dee Ford on Wednesday. The Niners made this move after he missed most of the 2021 season due to back problems. The team placed him on injured reserve last December, and he was not looking to be healthy for the start of the 2022 campaign either. Niners general manager John Lynch had indicated that Ford was done with the team at the owners meetings last March. Ford was acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 for a second-round draft pick. They then signed him to a five-year, $85 million contract, but he struggled with injuries during that deal. He ended up playing in just 18 games for the Niners, posting 9.5 sacks over the three seasons. That included six games last season with three sacks. The 31-year-old is a former Pro Bowler and has 40 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and 159 tackles over eight NFL seasons.

Patriots Sign DT Davon Godchaux to Two-Year Extension

The New England Patriots secured a defensive force on their team, giving defensive tackle Davon Godchaux a two-year contract extension on Wednesday. The deal is worth $20.8 million with $17.85 million in guaranteed money. Godchaux started 16 games for the Pats last season, his first with the team. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Miami Dolphins. The big man was involved in 59% of the defensive snaps, posting 65 tackles, which was good for fifth on the team. Godcahux entered the league out of LSU in 2017 and was entering the final season of a two-year deal.

Kraken Re-Sign Ryan Donato to One-Year Deal

The Seattle Kraken hung on to forward Ryan Donato on Wednesday, giving him a one-year contract that is worth $1.2 million.  This comes after they initially chose not to offer him a contract as a restricted free agent. Donato set career highs last season with 74 games played, 16 goals, and 15 assists last season. His 31 points ranked sixth on the team, while his 16 goals were the fourth-most. He will forever be the scorer of the first goal in Kraken history, doing so in the team's season opener against the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Mets Take First Game of Freeway Series; Brewers Walk-Off on Twins

The first game of the Freeway Series went the way of the New York Mets at Citi Field, as they overcame an early deficit to double-up the New York Yankees, 6-3. Eduardo Escobar had the official go-ahead shot with a two-run home run in the first inning. Starling Marte also homered in the first, while Pete Alonso added an RBI double. That helped the Mets overcome a 2-0 deficit after Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo went deep in the first inning. Jordan Montgomery gave up the big first inning and suffered his third loss, giving up four extra-base hits in the first. Judge's homer was his 38th of the season for the Yankees, who still have a 12.5 game lead in the AL East and the majors' best record at 66-31. Taijuan Walker moved to 5-0 in his past eight starts, going six innings, while Edwin Diaz had four strikeouts for his 22nd save in 25 chances. The Milwaukee Brewers took the battle of first place teams in thrilling fashion, walking off for a 7-6 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Luis Urias had the walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, scoring Andrew McCutchen to win it. Urias went deep earlier in the game, while Hunter Renfroe and Kolten Wong also homered. Renfroe now has a long ball in four of the Brewers' five games since the All-Star break. Gio Urshela had a three-run shot for the Twins, while Byron Buxton added his 24th homer. Josh Hader got his first win in relief after pitching a perfect ninth. This was the second walk-off hit for Urias in the past four days, as he had the walk-off single in the 13th inning against the Colorado Rockies on Friday. Other key scores saw George Springer's grand slam send the Toronto Blue Jays to their seventh straight win with a 10-3 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals. Ramon Urias homered in the eighth inning to lift the Baltimore Orioles over the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-3. Nolan Jones' three-run homer helped the Cleveland Guardians pull away for an 8-3 win over the Boston Red Sox. Michael Harris II and Matt Olson both went deep as the Atlanta Braves doubled-up the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-3. Jorge Alfaro had a big two-run single in the San Diego Padres' 6-4 extra-inning win against the Detroit Tigers. The Washington Nationals upset the Los Angeles Dodgers for a second straight day with an 8-3 win. The Seattle Mariners scored twice in the ninth to walk off for a 5-4 win over the Texas Rangers. And Chad Pinder's three-run shot gave the Oakland Athletics a 5-3 upset of the Houston Astros.

Yankees Place Giancarlo Stanton on IL

The New York Yankees made a tough move ahead of the Freeway Series opener on Tuesday, placing outfielder Giancarlo Stanton on the 10-day injured list with left Achilles tendinitis. Stanton requested an MRI on Monday, which revealed the injury after he woke up with soreness.  He started his treatment on Tuesday, and is expected to be checked up on in a week. Either way, the Yankees will keep him away from baseball activities for the 10 days. The slugger missed the previous two games before this roster move. The 32-year-old is hitting .228 this season with 24 home runs and 61 RBIs.

Padres' MacKenzie Gore Sent to IL

The San Diego Padres made the expected move on Tuesday, placing pitcher MacKenzie Gore on the 15-day injured list with elbow soreness. This comes after he was taken out of the game during Monday's 12-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers. Gore threw 35 pitches and got four outs when he was seen wincing in pain, which led to the trainer coming out to take him out. His fastball was about two mph slower than usual, which was also cause for concern. This was his second straight bullpen appearance after the Padres went back to a five-man starting rotation. Gore is already at 70 innings pitched this season, nearly 20 more than his total last season. ​The right-hander was impressive as a starter, going 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA over eight starts.

Rangers Sign Draft Pick Kumar Rocker

The Texas Rangers signed their top pick from the 2022 MLB Draft on Tuesday, giving pitcher Kumar Rocker a contract. The deal is worth $7.6 million along with a $5.2 million bonus. Rocker was the third overall pick in the draft, this after the New York Mets selected him 10th overall last year. The right-hander underwent shoulder surgery last September, as that injury caused him to separate from Mets. Over five starts with the Tri-City ValleyCats in the independent Frontier League, he went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA, 32 strikeouts, and four walks over 20 innings. The Rangers will send Rockers to their facility in Arizona before deciding when and where he will pitch in the organization.

Buccaneers Add WR Julio Jones

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have landed quarterback Tom Brady another veteran weapon, giving wide receiver Julio Jones a one-year deal on Tuesday. Jones is a seven-time Pro Bowler, and now joins the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tyler Johnson, Scotty Miller, and Breshad Perriman.  The Tennessee Titans released Jones in March after just one season together. He was acquired from the Atlanta Falcons last season for two draft picks, but he appeared in just 10 games.  Within those 10 games, he posted career lows with 31 receptions for 434 yards and one touchdown. The 33-year-old is the Falcons' all-time leader with 848 catches for 12,896 yards, while ranking second behind Roddy white with 63 touchdowns. His 91.9 receiving yards per game is the best average in NFL history, and leads the NFL in receiving yards since 2014.

Seahawks' Chris Carson to Retire

The Seattle Seahawks officially released running back Chris Carson on Tuesday, as the tailback plans to retire from the NFL due to his neck injury. Carson failed his physical designation on Tuesday, which led to the release and the decision. The doubt came within the past couple months that he would be healthy for the season after undergoing fusion surgery in December. He appeared in just four games last season, the first four, and then did not return due to the injury. The 27-year-old was a seventh-round draft pick in 2017 out of Oklahoma State. Carson was the starter in all five of his NFL seasons, surpassing 1,100 yards in 2018 and 2019. Over his NFL career, he finishes with 3,502 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards per carry in 49 games.

Bengals' Joe Burrow to Undergo Apendectomy

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is set to undergo an appendectomy, which was revealed by the team on Tuesday. ​There is no official timetable for his return after the procedure, which he is expected to undergo in the next 48 hours. The NFL Network was the first to report this, as veterans reported to practice Tuesday. This comes off the Bengals reaching the Super Bowl, where they fell to the Los Angeles Rams last February. Burrow completed 70.4% of his passes for 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. That earned him the NFL Comeback Player of The Year after tearing his ACL in the final game of the 2020 season.

Raptors Agree to Sign Juancho Hernangomez

The Toronto Raptors added to their roster on Tuesday, giving free agent forward Juancho Hernangomez a one-year contract. The two sides were still finalizing the deal, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the deal was taking place. Hernangomez played for three teams last season, that being the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz. His best run was with the Jazz, where he posted 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 43.8% from three. He is a former first-round draft pick in 2016, and now the 26-year-old joins a team that made the playoffs, but fell in six games to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.

Devils Give Jonas Siegenthaler Five-Year Extension

The New Jersey Devils locked in defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler to a five-year contract extension on Tuesday, which is worth $17 million. This will have him making about $3.4 million per season, but his two largest paychecks will be the first two years. The 25-year-old set career highs with 70 games played, 13 assists, 14 points, and 92 shots last season. He led all Devils defenseman in hits and was second in blocked shots. Over four NHL seasons, he has appeared in 175 games with three goals and 24 assists.

Oilers Avoid Arbitration With Jesse Puljujarvi

The Edmonton Oilers were able to avoid arbitration with forward Jesse Puljujarvi on Tuesday, giving him a new one-year contract. The deal is worth $3 million. Puljujarvi played in 65 games this past season and set career highs with 36 points and 22 assists. He added 14 goals, which was one shy of his career-high. Over 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games, he contributed three points in 16 games. Over his five-year NHL career, he has posted 46 goals and 52 assists in 259 career games.

Nationals Snap Dodgers' Streak; Phillies Rally Past Braves Late

The Washington Nationals played the unexpected spoiler to a Los Angeles Dodgers winning streak on Monday night, pulling off a 4-1 upset at Dodger Stadium Monday night. Juan Soto, who could be a future Dodger, had a big two-run triple to spark his team. That big hit capped a four-run fifth inning, snapping the Dodgers' eight-game winning streak and 11-game home winning streak. Soto just won the Home Run Derby at this stadium exactly one week ago, and now the 23-year-old is the center of trade talks ahead of August 2nd's deadline. He was 2-for-4 on this night, helping to hand Tony Gonsolin his first loss. Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his third save, while Andres Machado got his first win. The Philadelphia Phillies snapped out of their funk after a weekend sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, rallying on Monday night for a 6-4 win over the Atlanta Braves. Bryson Stott had the go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth inning, giving the Phils their 50th win of the year. Stott added a double and drove home five of the Phillies' six runs. Alec Bohm added a double and three hits of his own. Austin Riley had two doubles, while Marcell Ozuna had three hits and an RBI for the Braves. Atlanta dropped their second straight game for the first time since June 17th-18th. Other key scores saw the Boston Red Sox snap a five-game losing streak with a rain-soaked 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Baltimore Orioles used a four-run fifth inning to beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1. Ty France homered as the Seattle Mariners got back on track with a 4-3 home win against the Seattle Mariners. Tony Kemp had a homer and a two-run double to power the Oakland Athletics past the Houston Astros, 7-5. Merrill Kelly struck out seven over eight innings for his 10th win as the Arizona Diamondback shut out the San Francisco Giants, 7-0. And Kyle Freeland went seven shutout innings as the Colorado Rockies blanked the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-0.

Rays' Kiermaier, Zunino Ruled Out For Season

The Tampa Bay Rays officially ended the seasons of two of their players on Monday, ruling outfielder Kevin Kiermaier and catcher Mike Zunino out for the remainder of the year. Kiermaier is dealing with a hip injury and is expected to undergo an operation in the coming weeks. Zunino is suffering from a left shoulder injury and has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which will require surgery. The 32-year-old Kiermaier hasn't played since July 9th, while the 31-year-old Zunino has been out since June 9th. The outfielder Kiermaier is a three-time Gold Glove winner and hit .228 this season with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. The catcher Zunino played in just 36 games this season and hit .148 with five home runs, one season after hitting a career-high 33 long balls and making an All-Star team.

Giants' Evan Longoria Heading Back to IL

The frustration is building for San Francisco Giants third baseman Evan Longoria, who is heading back to the injured list with a strained hamstring. The news comes after the Giants' 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, which gave them a four-game sweep at the hands of the NL West leaders. The injury occurred during the fourth inning of Saturday's game, as an MRI on Sunday revealed the injury. This is the third time this season that Longoria has been on the injured list, as he has already missed 40 games with injuries.  The veteran has a .790 OPS and nine home runs in 49 games played this season, as he has been the steady third baseman and cleanup hitter for the Giants.

Tigers Place Rony Garcia on 15-Day IL

As if the Detroit Tigers' pitching staff could afford any more injuries, the team sent pitcher Rony Garcia to the 15-day injured list on Monday with right shoulder soreness. This news comes one day after he left Sunday's start against the Minnesota Twins early. Garcia could be seen in discomfort after throwing a pitch at Comerica Park. The injury was originally considered to be tightness in his biceps, as this is the second time he is sidelined with a shoulder injury. Manager A.J. Hinch confirmed that this injury is unrelated to the previous issue. The right-hander is 3-3 this season with a 4.59 ERA over 51 innings as a starter and reliever.

WR Danny Amendola Retires From NFL

Veteran wide receiver Danny Amendola announced on Monday that he is retiring from the National Football League. This decision comes despite multiple teams having interest in signing him this off-season. Amendola reported this directly to ESPN's Adam Schefter, and then tweeted highlights of his career to confirm it. The 36-year-old had a 13-year NFL career, spending time with the Rams, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans. He finishes with two Super Bowl wins in 2014 and 2016 with the Patriots, and was on the All-Decade team for that franchise. Over his 13 NFL seasons, he compiled 617 catches for 6,212 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Ravens Add RB Corey Clement

For a second straight season, a big need for the Baltimore Ravens is at running back, and they got some depth by adding veteran Corey Clement on Monday. Clement will join the likes of Mike Davis, Tyler Badie, Justice Hill, and Nate McCrary. The top two tailbacks for the Ravens, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, remain out, as well as undrafted free agent Rickey Person. The 27-year-old Clement spent four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and one with the Dallas Cowboys. Over his five NFL seasons, he has rushed for 795 yards and seven touchdowns.

Packers Give Head Coach Matt LaFleur Contract Extension

The Green Bay Packers awarded head coach Matt LaFleur with a contract extension on Monday, doing the same with general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president/direction of football operations Russ Ball. Official terms of the contracts were not disclosed. LaFleur was nearing the end of the contracts, this after signing a four-year deal with a fifth-year option. The Packers are 39-10 since LaFleur took over on the sidelines, and are 45-19-1 since Gutekunst replaced Ted Thompson.

Ducks Give Center Lundestrom a Two-Year Deal

The Anaheim Ducks solidified the depth at the center position, giving Isac Lundestrom a two-year contract on Monday. The deal is worth $3.6 million and avoids arbitration for the restricted free agent. The 22-year-old had 16 goals and 19 assists last season, which was his first full year in the league. The former first-round pick in 2018 has 22 goals and 22 assists over 151 career games. Lundestrom also played a big role as a penalty killer, all while ranking fourth on the team in goals.

Dodgers Sweep Giants to Extend Streak; Mets Avoid Sweep Against Padres

Trayce Thompson must've felt the pressure of his championship-winning brother, Klay Thompson, in the audience at Dodger Stadium Sunday, as he stepped up big in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 7-4 win over the San Francisco Giants. Thompson drove home two big runs as the Dodgers completed a four-game weekend series sweep of the Giants. The sweep gives the Dodgers eight consecutive wins, as they now hold an 11.5-game lead in the NL West. Jake Lamb had the tiebreaking RBI double for the Dodgers, who have won 15 of their past 16 games, 19 of 21, and 24 of 29. It is their first four-game sweep of the Giants at Dodger Stadium since 1995 and their third all-time. Gavin Lux also had two RBIs to support Evan Phillips, who pitched the seventh and got his fifth win. Darin Ruf had a big two-run shot for the Giants, but the Giants were outscored, 25-13, this weekend. The New York Mets' bats finally woke up to avoid a sweep on Sunday night, rallying at Citi Field for an 8-5 win over the San Diego Padres. Pete Alonso had the go-ahead three-run home run off of Joe Musgrove, and drove home four runs on the night. The long ball was Alonso's 25th of the season and sparked a five-run sixth inning for the Mets. He added an RBI double in a three-run seventh that gave the home team an 8-1 advantage. Daniel Vogelbach got his first hit and then walked and scored in his Mets debut. The Mets are now ready to play host to the Yankees, with both teams leading their divisions, and Alonso holding a one-RBI lead on Aaron Judge. Other key scores saw Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena lead off the game with back-to-back home runs as the Houston Astros swept the Seattle Mariners with an 8-5 win. The Toronto Blue Jays used a five-run first to sweep away the Boston Red Sox with an 8-4 road win. Aaron Judge went deep again as the New York Yankees shut out the Baltimore Orioles, 6-0. Kris Bubic pitched seven innings as the Kansas City Royals doubled-up the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2. Dylan Cease pitched six scoreless innings in the Chicago White Sox's 6-3 home win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Minnesota Twins swept a mini two-game series with a 9-1 rout of the Detroit Tigers. The Milwaukee Brewers rallied in the eighth behind Andrew McCutchen's two-run double for a wild 109- win against the Colorado Rockies. Joey Votto's three-run blast sent the Cincinnati Reds past the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-3. Yan Gomes homered twice in the Chicago Cubs' 4-3 upset of the Philadelphia Phillies. And the Los Angeles Angels jumped out for five runs in a 9-1 blowout of the Atlanta Braves.

Braves' Adam Duvall to Undergo Surgery

Ahead of the Atlanta Braves' tough home loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, the team placed outfielder Adam Duvall on the injured list with a left wrist injury. The news got worse later in to the day, as they confirmed that he will undergo surgery on the wrist this week. Duvall reportedly tore the tendon sheath in his wrist and is done for the season. The injury occurred when he ran in to the outfield wall during Saturday's game against the Angels. Over 86 games this season, he is hitting .213 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs. The team called up first baseman Mike Ford from Triple-A Gwinnett.

Marlins Rookie Max Meyer to IL

The Miami Marlins' inconsistent play got a bit worse Sunday despite a road win, as rookie pitcher Max Meyer went on the 15-day IL with a sprained elbow. Meyer was taken out of Saturday's game after facing just three batters and throwing 10 pitches. The right-hander was the third overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, and made his major league debut last Saturday, and had his second major league start in Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old was one of many injury moves, as Brian Anderson and Tommy Nance both went to the IL with shoulder and groin injures respectively. Elsewhere, star second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. went to the 60-day IL with the fracture in his back.

Mets Place Dominic Smith on IL

The New York Mets sent first baseman Dominic Smith to the 10-day injured list this week due to a right ankle sprain. The move is retroactive to July 17th, so he is expected to return by the middle of next week. The move comes less than two weeks from the August 2nd Trade Deadline, where he is expected to be moved. The 27-year-old hit .299 in 396 at-bats for the Mets from 2019 to 2020. Since then, he is at just .233 in 645 at-bats, as he has been up and down from Triple-A Syracuse.

Angels' Villar, Yankees' Greene Designated For Assignment

The Los Angeles Angels' run with Jonathan Villar has come to an end, as they designated him for assignment on Sunday. This is the second time this season that Villar was DFA'd, as the Chicago Cubs did it to him earlier this season. The utility man hit just .222 with the Cubs, and then just .163 with the Angels. The New York Yankees did the same to veteran reliever Shane Greene, allowing them to bring back Ron Marinaccio from the injured list. The veteran has made just two appearances this season, one for the Dodgers and one for the Yankees. The 33-year-old was in his second stint with New York, as he had stints with the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves since leaving them in 2014.

Brewers' Jace Peterson Lands on IL

The Milwaukee Brewers made a tough move before their wild win on Sunday, sending second baseman Jace Peterson to the injured list with an elbow sprain. The move is to the 10-day IL and allows them to bring Jake McGree to the major league roster. Peterson has reportedly been dealing with this injury for three weeks, according to manager Craig Counsell. The team is not expecting to have Peterson back until the end of August. The second baseman is hitting .252 this season with eight home runs and 30 RBIs to go with 30 runs scored for the first-place Brew-Crew.

Tigers Place Pineda on IL, Lose Faedo, Funkhouser For Season

The Detroit Tigers lost yet another starting pitcher to injury, placing veteran Michael Pineda on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a triceps injury. Pineda left Saturday's start against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday after three innings due to soreness in that area. The veteran admitted to feeling tightness there over the past few starts. The 33-year-old was hit by a line drive back on May 14, which broke his finger, causing another IL stint in his first season with the team. He is 2-6 with a 5.27 ERA over 42.2 innings this season, coming off his worst start, where he gave up eight runs in two innings on July 16 against the Cleveland Guardians.  The team also shut down two other pitchers for the season, that being Alex Faedo due to a hip injury and Kyle Funkhouser due to a shoulder ailment. Faedo is the former 18th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Funkhouser is expected to require surgery for his injury. The rookie Faedo had a 5.53 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 12 starts this season. The 28-year-old Funnkhouser never pitched for the Tigers this season, as he suffered this injury back in March.

Texans Rookie John Metchie III Diagnosed With Leukemia

The Houston Texans took a blow to rookie wide receiver John Metchie III on Sunday, as he was diagnosed with a form of leukemia and is not expected to play this season. The Texans released a statement to announce this unfortunate news on Sunday, and placed him on the active/non-football illness list. The team traded up in the second round to select Metchie 44th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Alabama Crimson Tide had 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns last season, before tearing his ACL in the SEC Championship Game.

Verlander Reaches 13 Wins; Dodgers Win Seventh Straight

Justin Verlander became the majors' first 13-game winner on Saturday afternoon, pitching the Houston Astros past the Seattle Mariners, 3-1. Verlander struck out nine batters while allowing just four hits over seven innings. He won his fifth straight start and lowered his ERA to 1.86 on the season, only trailing Shane McClanahan's 1.71 in the American League. The 39-year-old continues to bounce back from Tommy John Surgery last season wonderfully. At one point, he retired 15 straight batters, and he has allowed one run or fewer in seven of his past eight starts. Kyle Tucker and Yuli Gurriel both had RBI doubles, as the Astros won their fourth straight and are now 27-9 since June 12th. The Mariners saw their eight-series win streak come to an end with this loss. The Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to seven games with a 4-2 home win over the San Francisco Giants. Mookie Betts connected on his 200th career home run, becoming the 27th active player to do so. Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman also went deep, making it the first time that the three players have hit homers in the same game. Those three are the team leaders in average and RBIs, while Betts leads the team with 22 long balls. Julio Urias went six innings and gave up two hits while striking out five. It was his ninth win of the season and he moved to 6-0 over his past seven starts. David Price got his second career save in the ninth, as the Dodgers have now won 14 of their past 15 and are 63-30, good for a 10.5 game lead on the Padres in the NL West. Other key scores saw Alek Manoah go six innings as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox again, 4-1. The Baltimore Orioles rallied from three runs down to beat the New York Yankees, 6-3. Brady Singer had a career-high 12 strikeouts to power the Kansas City Royals' 6-3 upset of the Tampa Bay Rays. Manny Machado's two-run homer was the difference in the San Diego Padres' 2-1 win over the New York Mets. Austin Riley went deep to lead the Atlanta Braves over the Los Angeles Angels, 7-2. Brandon Woodruff went six innings to pitch the Milwaukee Brewers past the Colorado Rockies, 9-4. Paul Goldschmidt drove home three runs as the St. Louis Cardinals doubled-up the Cincinnati Reds, 6-3. The Chicago Cubs scored five times in the 10th to down the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-2. Carlos Correa homered to send the Minnesota Twins past the Detroit Tigers, 8-4. And the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox split their doubleheader in Chicago.

Yankees Lose Michael King For Season

The New York Yankees squeezed out a win on Friday, but one downside came of that, as reliever Michael King went down and will miss the remainder of the 2022 season. The right-hander suffered a fractured right elbow and was placed on the 60-day injured list. King exited in the eighth inning after throwing a pitch to Ramon Urias. The 27-year-old had a career-best 2.29 ERA this season to go with his 6-3 record. ​He also added a save and 16 holds over 34 appearances.

Red Sox Send Rafael Devers to Injured List

The Boston Red Sox are still reeling from their embarrassing loss on Friday, and on Saturday, to add to that, they placed All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers on the 10-day injured list. Devers is dealing with right hamstring inflammation, and felt the tightness during an at-bat Friday night. Manager Alex Cora announced this news after he "wasn't feeling right" when arriving to Fenway Park on Saturday. The 25-year-old is hitting .324 with 22 home runs and 55 RBIs this season.

Marlins Place Jorge Soler on Injured List

The Miami Marlins sent outfielder Jorge Soler to the injured list early on Saturday due to back spasms. Soler won the World Series MVP as a member of the Atlanta Braves last season, and is now on the 10-day IL. The move was made early Saturday before the Marlins suffered yet another shutout loss, 1-0, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his first year with the Marlins, Soler is hitting just .207 with 13 home runs over 72 games. In a corresponding move, the team selected the contract of JJ Bleday from Triple-A Jacksonville.

Brewers, Aaron Ashby Agree on Five-Year Extension

The Milwaukee Brewers were able to lock in pitcher Aaron Ashby on Saturday, agreeing on a five-year contract extension with him. This deal keeps him with the team through the 2027 season. Ashby's deal does include team options for the 2028 and 2029 seasons. The 23-year-old is just 2-7 this season with a 4.59 ERA and one save in 12 starts and six relief appearances. This comes after he went 3-2 with a 4.55 ERA over four starts and nine relief appearances last season. The team also signed reliever Jake McGee to a deal after he was released by the San Francisco Giants.

Reds Place Tyler Stephenson on Injured List

The Cincinnati Reds were forced to place catcher Tyler Stephenson on the 10-day injured list Saturday after he was injured by a foul tip. The 25-year-old suffered a broken right clavicle during the Reds' 9-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals Friday night. The injury occurred in the first inning when Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt tipped the ball behind the plate and in to Stephenson. The catcher is hitting .319 this season with six home runs and 35 RBIs over 50 games.

Cubs Designate Daniel Norris For Assignment

The Chicago Cubs moved on from pitcher Daniel Norris less than a year after bringing him on, designating him for assignment on Saturday. The 29-year-old has spent time with the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and Milwaukee Brewers. His ERA lived over five for two seasons, and then 4.49 in 2019 to begin his career.  The Tigers traded him to the Brewers last season, but he posted an ERA of 6.64 for them in their Postseason race. During his one season with the Cubs, he had a 6.90 ERA, despite his 32.1% strikeout rate.

Suns Give Monty Williams Six-Year Extension

The Phoenix Suns are rewarding the reigning NBA Coach of The Year, giving their head man Monty Williams a six-year contract extension on Saturday. Williams had two years remaining on his previous five-year contract that he signed with the team. The coach has powered the Suns to an NBA Finals appearance two seasons ago, as well as a franchise-record 64 wins last season. Over three seasons with the Suns, he has gone 149-78, good for a .656 winning percentage. That comes from a team that had won just 19 games a season before he arrived. Since then, they have put together an 18-game winning streak, and three separate winning streaks of at least nine games. They also went 33-9 in clutch-time games last season, the best such-record since the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors. Phoenix is coming off a disappointing Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semifinals, but is expected to be right back in the title hunt next season.

Astros Snap Mariners' Streak; Blue Jays Embarrass Red Sox

The Houston Astros have pulled out three quality wins to kick off the second half, including them snapping the Seattle Mariners' 14-game win streak with a 5-2 road victory on Friday. Jose Altuve led off the game with a long ball, while Yordan Alvarez went deep for a second straight day. The win helped the Astros extend their AL West lead to 11 games over the Mariners. Marco Gonzales gave up all five runs in his 10th loss, giving up three homers, including one to Martin Maldonado. Ty France went deep for the M's off of Urquidy, who threw 105 pitches over six innings and got his ninth win. Seattle lost star rookie Julio Rodriguez about 15 minutes before the game due to a wrist injury. The Mariners left nine runners on base in the loss, their first since July 1st against the Oakland Athletics. The Toronto Blue Jays put on the pounding of all poundings at Fenway Park Friday night, going off for a 28-5 blowout of the Boston Red Sox. The embarrassing night for the Red Sox was highlighted by an inside-the-park grand slam from Raimel Tapia, as Jarren Duran lost the ball in the lights. Danny Jansen homered twice and drove home six runs. Matt Chapman and Teoscar Hernandez each added solo shots, as every Blue Jays started had at least two hits. The performance breaks their previous franchise record for runs in a game, which was 24 from the 1976 season. The 28 runs are also the most ever given up by a Red Sox team, beating the old mark of 27 runs. Other key scores saw the Cody Bellinger's grand slam power the Los Angeles Dodgers to their sixth straight win, 5-1, over the San Francisco Giants. Yu Darvish threw seven shutout innings as the San Diego Padres topped the New York Mets, 4-1. The Atlanta Braves knocked Shohei Ohtani around for six runs in their 8-1 rout of the Los Angeles Angels. Aaron Judge homered twice as the New York Yankees held off the Baltimore Orioles 7-6. The Cincinnati Reds used a trio of homers to take out the St. Louis Cardinals, 9-5. Luis Urias' walk-off single sent the Milwaukee Brewers past the Colorado Rockies in 13 innings, 6-5. Nelson Velazquez's two home runs and five RBIs led the Chicago Cubs' 15-2 pounding of the Philadelphia Phillies. And Andres Gimenez homered twice in the Cleveland Guardians' 8-2 road win over the Chicago White Sox.

Marlins' Jazz Chsholm Out Six More Weeks

Unfortunately for the Miami Marlins, the news on second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is worse than expected, as he has been ruled out for six more weeks. The news came out Friday that he is dealing with a stress reaction in his lower back. The 24-year-old was named to the National League All-Star team, but missed the game last Tuesday due to the injury. He has been on the injured list since June 29th with a right lower back strain. ​The spark plug of the Marlins is hitting .254 with 14 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases over 60 games.

Mets Acquire Daniel Vogelbach From Pirates

The New York Mets added a bit more power to their lineup on Friday, acquiring first baseman Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Mets sent rookie relief pitcher Colin Holderman in the deal. The left-handed hitter is hitting .228 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs over 75 games this season. He was an All-Star as a member of the Seattle Mariners in the 2019 season. The 29-year-old is only on a one-year contract that he signed with Pittsburgh last March. The Pirates do get a 26-year-old in Holderman who is 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA over 15 appearances this season.

Guardians' Aaron Civale Out Until August

The Cleveland Guardians will be without pitcher Aaron Civale until at least mid-August due to a sprained ligament and inflammation in his pitching wrist. Civale was examined this week after suffering the injury on July 13th. He first felt discomfort on July 2nd after a start against the New York Yankees. The right-hander was leading the American League in wins when he went down with a sprained right middle finger. The 27-year-old ended up with 12 wins and a 3.84 ERA. So far this season, he is 2-5 with a 6.17 ERA.

White Sox Send Luis Robert to IL

The Chicago White Sox took the safe rout with outfielder Luis Robert, placing him on the injured list Friday. This move comes due to lightheadedness and blurred vision. Robert was taken from the game last week against the Minnesota Twins, and is still dealing with the issue. The 24-year-old hasn't been diagnosed with anything, but the symptoms are still there. He is expected to do some on-field activity on Saturday. In a separate move, they were able to activate Yasmani Grandal from the injured list.

Brewers Sign Jake McGee to Major League Deal

The Milwaukee Brewers have quickly jumped on veteran Jake McGee, agreeing to a major league deal with him on Friday. This news comes after McGee was released by the San Francisco Giants on July 14th. He worked 21.1 innings over 24 appearances , but had a 7.17 ERA. This comes after being reliable for the Giants, posting a 2.59 ERA over 59.2 innings last season. His best season came in 2014 with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he had sparkling 1.89 ERA over 73 appearances.

Flames Trade Matthew Tkachuk to Panthers

The Calgary Flames have officially parted ways with another big start, dealing Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers late Friday night. The Flames get Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, and a 2025 first-round draft pick in return. It was revealed earlier this week that Tkachuk was not signing a long term extension with the Flames and that they were looking to trade him. This also comes after they already lost fellow star Johnny Gaudreau to the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency. He joins a team that won the Presidents' Trophy last season for having the best regular season record. Tkachuk had a career-high 42 goals and 62 assists for 104 pionts this past season. Huberdeau also had a big year, tying a career high with 30 goals, and set career highs with 85 assists and 113 points.​

Blue Jackets Give Patrik Laine Four-Year Extension

The Columbus Blue Jackets added one star this off-season and locked in another on Friday, giving winger Patrik Laine a four-year contract extension. The deal is worth $34.8 million, which averaged out to $8.7 million per season through 2026. This news comes after they signed Johnny Gaudreau away from the Calgary Flames in free agency. The Jackets traded away Oliver Bjorkstrand to the Seattle Kraken for two draft picks to make room for this move. The 24-year-old has 184 goals and 158 assists for 342 points over 431 career games, and averaged a point per game last season.

Astros Sweep DH From Yankees; Betts Sparks Dodgers Past Giants

The Houston Astros opened up the second half of the MLB season in thrilling fashion, sweeping a doubleheader from the New York Yankees on Thursday. It kicked off with rookie J.J. Matijevic getting his first-career walk-off hit, this a pinch-hit RBI single, to lift his team past the best team in baseball. Michael King suffered his third loss after giving up the game-winner. Alex Bregman drove home a run, and then scored the winning run after a leadoff single in the ninth. D.J. LeMahieu went deep for the Yankees, who were just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The second game was highlighted by Yordan Alvarez homering in his first at-bat back during a 7-5 victory. Alvarez was playing in his first game since July 9th, while Bregman also went deep in the first. The slugger, who missed the All-Star Game, drove home two with a double, and then scored on a Bregman double one inning later. Aaron Judge went deep for a three-run shot in to the train tracks in the ninth in the Yankees' loss. Mookie Betts kept his first-career All-Star hit momentum going in the same stadium on Thursday, playing the role of hero in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-6 win over the San Francisco Giants. Betts slugged the game-winning three-run home run in the eighth, and then made a diving catch for the final out in the ninth. Freddie Freeman also homered in this won, as the Dodgers won their fifth straight, eighth in a row at home, and 12th in their past 13 overall. Trayce Thompson added a big RBI triple in that eighth inning, which was given up by pitcher Dominic Leone. The Giants did rally from a 5-0 deficit thanks to Darin Ruf's game-tying grand slam. Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 16th save, while Evan Phillips got his fourth win. Freeman's long ball was good for his NL-leading 115th hit of the season. A couple other scores from Thursday saw the Texas Rangers hand the Miami Marlins their third straight shutout loss, 8-0. While the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics split a doubleheader out west.

Giants Agree to Deal With Pitcher Trevor Rosenthal

The San Francisco Giants are giving a veteran pitcher another chance, agreeing to a deal with Trevor Rosenthal on Thursday. Rosenthal's one-year contract is worth $4.5 million. He has not pitched in the majors since 2020. The team will immediately be on the injured list with a hamstring strain. The 32-year-old can earn up to $1 million in incentives. He recently underwent surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and then had a torn right hip labrum. The Giants made this move after releasing closer Jake McGee.

Diamondbacks DFA Dallas Keuchel

The Arizona Diamondbacks are the second team to move on from veteran pitcher Dallas Keuchel, designating him for assignment on Thursday. Keuchel lasted just four starts with Arizona after the Chicago White Sox moved on from him earlier this season. The lefty went winless in those four starts, posting a 9.64 ERA. He is set to clear waivers and become a free agent again. The 34-year-old is a former Cy Young Award winner with the Houston Astros in 2015. Keuchel is also a two-time All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove winner.

Cardinals Give Kyler Murray Five-Year Contract

The Arizona Cardinals have shown their commitment to quarterback Kyler Murray, giving him a five-year contract extension on Thursday. The deal is worth $230.5 million, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. The contract runs through the 2028 season and includes $160 million in guaranteed money for injury. Murray will make $105 million guaranteed at signing. This puts him at $46.1 million per season, which is the second-highest in the NFL. The only deal in the NFL that includes more guaranteed money is Deshaun Watson's $230 million fully guaranteed deal with the Cleveland Browns. The 24-year-old is a former first overall draft pick and has led the Cardinals to a higher win total every season since. The QB is the first in NFL history with at least 70 passing touchdowns, 20 rushing touchdowns, 3,500 passing yards, and 400 rushing yards.

Browns Give Josh Rosen One-Year Deal

The Cleveland Browns are still not sure if they will have quarterback Deshaun Watson for the regular season, so they will take all the help they can get. They added help on Thursday, giving Josh Rosen a one-year contract. He is the fourth quarterback to enter training camp this season. The former 10th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft last played in 2021 for the Atlanta Falcons. That run saw him complete two of his 11 passes with two interceptions. The 25-year-old has spent time with five teams since getting drafted.

Sharks to Make David Quinn Next Head Coach

The San Jose Sharks are set to make David Quinn their next head coach and were finalizing a deal to do so on Thursday. The 55-year-old coached the New York Rangers from 2018 to 2021. Over 208 games with them, he posted a 96-87-25 record and failed to reach the quarterfinals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He'll replace Bob Boughner, who was fired, along with his entire staff, on July 1st. The 51-year-old spent three seasons with the Sharks, going 67-58-23 with them, and never made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sharks have hired the first Black general manager in Mike Grier.

Predators Add Nino Niederreiter on Two-Year Contract

The Nashville Predators kept their free agency moves going on Thursday, giving forward Nino Niederreiter a two-year contract. The deal is worth $8 million, and comes after they extended Filip Forsberg with an eight-year deal. The 29-year-old had 24 goals and 20 assists over 75 games last season with the Carolina Hurricanes. That helped the Hurricanes win the division and reach the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Niederreiter is coming off a five-year contract worth $5.25 million per season and this was his first time as an unrestricted free agent. He started with the New York Islanders as a fifth overall pick, and has totaled 181 goals and 187 assists in 732 games over 12 seasons.

Penguins Re-Sign Kasperi Kapanen to Two-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins were able to avoid arbitration by giving forward Kasperi Kapanen a two-year contract that is worth $3.2 million per season. The deal keeps him at the same salary level as the three-year deal that just expired on him. The forward posted 11 goals and 21 assists over 79 games last season. The 25-year-old was a first-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Over 321 games with the Leafs and Penguins, he has 53 goals and 89 assists. That is on top of the five goals and eight assists that he has in 38 playoff games.

Georgia Makes Kirby Smart Highest Paid Coach in CFB

The Georgia Bulldogs, fresh off a National Championship victory, officially made head coach Kirby Smart the highest-paid coach in college football on Thursday. The team gave Smart a 10-year, $112.5 million contract, keeping him locked in through the 2031 season. Smart will make $10.25 million this season and then that will go up to $12.25 million per season through the rest of the contract. The 46-year-old got a seven-year, $49 million extension in Mary of 2018. He has led the team to a 66-15 record over six seasons.  They have reached the College Football Playoff twice, and have played in five straight New Year's Six Bowls. His run also includes four SEC East Titles and one SEC Championship.

Top 2022 ESPYS Awards

The 2022 ESPYS were hosted by Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, highlighting the year that was in sports. Here are the top awards from the evening: Best Men's Athlete: Los Angeles Angeles star Shohei Ohtani took this over Steph Curry, Aaron Rodgers, and Connor McDavid. He also won the best MLB Player Award over Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Jorge Soler. Best Women's Athlete: Swimming star Katie Ledcky got these honors over Candace Parker, Sunisa Lee, and Oksana Masters. Ledecky won two golds in the Tokyo Olympics. Best Championship Performance: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp got this award after getting the game-winning touchdown catch from Matt Stafford to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl. Best Men's College Athlete: Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young Best NBA Player: The host and current NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry. Best NHL Player: Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, despite another early Stanley Cup Playoff exit. Best Team: The Golden State Warriors, who beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Best Game: The Kansas City Chiefs' 42-36 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Playoffs. Best WWE Moment:​ Cody Rhodes returning to WWE at Wrestlemania

Sixers' James Harden Returning to Sixers

James Harden has decided to return to the Philadelphia 76ers, doing so on Wednesday night by agreeing to a two-year contract. The deal is worth $68.6 million and includes a player option for the 2023-2024 season. Harden will now make $33 million for next season, and he would make $35.6 million the following year if he opts in. The guard declined a $47.4 million player option for this season to become a free agent, which gave the team flexibility in free agency. The 10-time All-Star averaged 22 points and 10.3 assists over 65 games for the Brooklyn Nets and Sixers last season. Brooklyn dealt him to Philadelphia at the Trade Deadline in a deal that saw Ben Simmons go the other way and then not play. The 32-year-old is also a six-time first team All-NBA guard, and is hoping to be the partner Joel Embiid needs to bring Doc Rivers' Sixers a title.

Bucks Re-Sign Serge Ibaka

The Milwaukee Bucks are keeping veteran Serge Ibaka around, agreeing to re-sign the center after a four-team deal last February. The terms of this new contract were not disclosed.  The 32-year-old averaged 7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game over 19 contests with the Bucks last season. He was traded there in February after Brook Lopez was out with a back injury. The Bucks sent Donte DiVincenzo to the Kings and Rodney Hood as well as Semi Ojeleye to the Los Angeles Clippers to make the four-team trade happen. Before getting traded, Ibaka posted 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 35 games for the Clippers. He is a three-time All-Defensive first team member and led the NBA in total blocks in four straight seasons at one point. ​Overall, he sits with 1,752 career blocks, which his good for second among active players, only behind Dwight Howard.

Flames' Matthew Tkachuk Won't Sign Long-Term Extension

The Calgary Flames are expected to lose another star this off-season, as it came out on Wednesday that forward Matthew Tkachuk told the team that he will not sign a long-term extension with them. The team is now expected to trade him away, as first reported by The Athletic.  The 24-year-old has played all six of his NHL seasons with the Flames, this after going sixth overall to them in 2016. He was set to make $9 million next season with them, and is one year away from unrestricted free agency. Tkachuk was the second-leading scorer on the Pacific Division winning Flames last year. The team also lost their star scorer, Johnny Gaudreau, who signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency.

Tight End Kyle Rudolph Joining Bucs on One-Year Deal

Veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph is set to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year contract, according to source late Wednesday night. This news come after Tom Brady's old favorite target, Rob Gronkowski, retired from the league for good. Rudolph will now pair with Cameron Brate at that position. He was released by the New York Giants last March after posting just 26 catches for 257 yards and a touchdown in his lone year with them. The tight end spent his previous 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. The 32-year-old has 479 catches for 4,745 yards and 49 touchdowns in his NFL career, making the Pro Bowl in 2012 and 2017.

Niners Give Garoppolo OK to Seek Trade

The San Francisco 49ers officially gave quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo the OK to seek to trade, according to ESPN reports on Wednesday. Garoppolo is recovering from off-season surgery on his throwing shoulder, but has been cleared to start practicing.  The surgery is what delayed the Niners from attempting to trade him this off-season. The team is expected to focus in on second-year QB Trey Lance to be their starter. The 30-year-old Garoppolo is entering the final season of his contract and will count for $26.95 million against the salary cap. An acquiring team would take on $24.2 million of the salary if he is traded right now, but that salary is not guaranteed and they could work out a new number. The quarterback has led the Niners to the Super Bowl once before, where they fell short, which was his top season that saw him throw for 3,978 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

Texas A&M's Ainias Smith Arrested on Multiple Charges

Texas A&M senior wide receiver Ainias Smith was arrested early Wednesday on charges of driving while intoxicated, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and marijuana possession. The 21-year-old was scheduled to appear at SEC media days on Thursday, but was booked at Brazos County Jail. He was released later in the day on $8,000 bail. Smith was reportedly stopped for speeding at 2:15am and was given a field sobriety test. According to the police report, police found a "rolled joint of marijuana" and a gun. Both Smith and his passenger denied ownership of the gun or marijuana. The passenger was not arrested and was released from the incident. Smith is the second A&M player arrested this off-season, as Demond Demas was arrested on an assault/family violence charge in March.