Don’t call it a comeback! Three-time Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Toews, 37, has not played in the NHL since 2023, but he’s reportedly interested in returning to the league as soon as the 2025-26 season.

Just two months after Toews had told The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus that he was not done with hockey, it appears his return may be sooner than expected. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Toews informed his agent, Pat Brisson, that he’s “100% committed” to returning to the NHL.

LeBrun also says that Brisson informed him that he will be taking calls from NHL teams regarding Toews’ future before the start of the NHL free agency period on July 1. Toews has also reportedly been working out for several months now in an effort to fuel his return.

Jonathan Toews reached out to his agent Pat Brisson yesterday to inform him he’s 100 percent committed to coming back to the NHL next season. Just spoke with Brisson, who says he will start taking calls from NHL teams on Toews now leading up to July 1.
Toews, 37, last played in…

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 29, 2025

NHL News: Washington Capitals mistakenly sent email that said Alex Ovechkin would retire next season

When did Toews last play?

Toews’ last game came on April 13, 2023 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Blackhawks lost 5-4 in overtime, but Toews did tally a goal in the contest.

During his final season, Toews put up 15 goals and 16 assists across 53 games. Toews missed significant time that season, failing to participate in any Blackhawks’ games in February or March 2023, due to a long COVID-related illness.

Why did Toews step away originally?

Following the 2023 season, Toews announced on Instagram that he would be taking an indefinite break from professional hockey due to health concerns. Toews had struggled with COVID for most of his career post-2020. He missed the entirety of the shortened 2020-21 campaign due to the illness, and issues sustained through 2023. Toews also revealed he’d received a diagnosis of CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) at the tail end of the 2021 season.

Jonathan Toews career accomplishments

• Three-time Stanley Cup champion (2010, 2013, 2015)
• Conn Smythe Trophy recipient (2010)
• Selke Trophy recipient (2013)
• Mark Messier Leadership Award recipient (2015)
• 6x All-Star (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017)
• 372 career goals
• 511 career assists
• 2x Olympic gold medalist (2010, 2014)
• Named to NHL’s 100 greatest players list for league’s 100th anniversary

NHL News: Islanders’ Patrick Roy will remain coach, new GM Mathieu Darche says

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jonathan Toews
‘100% committed’ to NHL return

Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. had his first rehab game with the Somerset Patriots on Thursday night, and it was a successful on at the plate and in the field.

Chisholm started at third base with the Patriots as the Yankees are looking to give him reps at the hot corner to give him and the team versatility in the infield. He played five innings in the field, all at third base.

Chisholm never played third base until he moved there when he was acquired by the Yankees at the trade deadline last season. He began the 2025 season at second base, but with the return of DJ LeMahieu and the season-long injury to Oswaldo Cabrera, the Yankees are giving themselves flexibility with their defensive alignment and lineups.

At the plate, Chisholm went 2-for-3 with a walk. He singled to right field in his first at-bat before walking in his second. In his third at-bat, Chisholm missed a home run by inches to dead center but had to settle for a double. George Lombard Jr. would drive in Chisholm with a triple.

The top Yankees prospect was 1-for-5.

Another Yankees prospect, Spencer Jones, made his return to the lineup after being sidelined with an intercostal injury he suffered earlier this month. Jones went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

On the mound, JT Brubaker had a great rehab start with the Patriots. Making his third minor league start, second for the Double-A affiliate, Brubaker threw 48 pitches (30 strikes) in four innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters. His ERA dropped to 1.35.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. singles in his first rehab at-bat! pic.twitter.com/REM0iVzBDQ

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 29, 2025

Spencer Jones drives in Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a line drive up the middle! pic.twitter.com/y7xCm5OTox

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 29, 2025

A couple oddities in the 4th inning for Jazz Chisholm Jr. in Somerset

🔷 A deep double to center field that he thought was a homer
🔷 Steals third base on the next pitch, only to be sent back to second due to a pitch clock violation pic.twitter.com/ECsNaNCoqX

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 29, 2025

George Lombard Jr. drives in Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a triple! pic.twitter.com/JBQZ8g73KS

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 29, 2025

After a tough first rehab start with High-A Brooklyn, Mets right-hander Frankie Montas showed improvement in his second on Thursday night.

Montas pitched three innings (49 pitches/28 strikes), allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three. The 32-year-old was jumped for those two runs by Aberdeen in the first inning when he walked the leadoff man and allowed a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Montas would settle in and get the next three batters out, but a groundout and sac fly allowed two runners to score.

From there, Montas would scatter runners over his final two innings.

It was an encouraging sight as Montas couldn’t get out of the second inning in his first rehab start this past Saturday. In that start, he pitched just 1.1 innings while allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one. Montas was on a 30-35 pitch count (he threw 37), but the Mets were confident enough to let him get close to 50 pitches.

Manager Carlos Mendoza will likely give an update on Montas’ status and potential next steps before the series opener with the Rockies on Friday.

While the Mets rotation has excelled in 2025 so far, the addition of Montas could give Mendoza an option to go with a six-man rotation. After signing with the Mets this offseason, Montas began the season on the IL with a lat injury during spring training.

Frankie Montas’ second rehab outing for Brooklyn is complete:

3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (49 pitches) pic.twitter.com/1dwIuG6kMD

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 29, 2025

Legendary rocker and Indiana native John Mellencamp apologized Thursday “on behalf of most Hoosiers” for the “poor, poor sportsmanship” displayed during the Pacers’ home win over the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals two days earlier.

Although the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. did not call out any specific Indiana sports fan in the statement he posted to X hours before Game 5, Mellencamp seemed to have a particular person in mind — popular ESPN personality Pat McAfee.

“I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don’t know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team,” the “Hurts So Good” singer wrote. “The audience booed these people. I’d say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it’s poor, poor sportsmanship.”

Read more:Teddi Mellencamp and dad John get real about burial plans as she battles Stage 4 cancer

Hours after Mellencamp posted his statement, McAfee reposted it on X and identified himself as the one who instigated Pacers fans to behave in such a manner.

“I am ‘somebody,'” McAfee wrote.

Mellencamp and McAfee were both on hand Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the Pacers defeated the Knicks 130-121 to take a 3-1 series lead. Addressing the crowd during a fourth-quarter timeout, McAfee called out celebrity Knicks fans Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet — all of whom were in attendance that night — and encouraged Pacers fans to “send these sons of b— back to New York with their ears ringing!”

Stiller addressed the matter later that night on X, saying he assumed that McAfee was “playing around” and that all the fans he met at the arena were “awesome and incredibly cool.”

Mellencamp, however, was not happy with the shenanigans.

Read more:Pat McAfee says ESPN didn’t tell him to stop talking about Caitlin Clark. ‘God’ did

“I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I’ve lived here my entire life,” the singer once known as Johnny Cougar wrote. “On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I’m sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.”

Mellencamp’s use of the “smackdown” appears to be a thinly veiled reference to McAfee, who is a color commentator and occasional wrestler for WWE. “Friday Night SmackDown” is one of the organization’s signature TV shows.

It is unclear why Mellencamp opted to voice his displeasure so long after the incident occurred. Perhaps he plans to be in attendance Thursday night at Madison Square Garden as his Pacers attempt to seal their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000.

One person who won’t be there is McAfee, despite a friendly invite from Stiller.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Neither Alexis Díaz nor the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen have met expectations this year, but the team is about to see if a marriage can work.

The defending champions acquired the former All-Star closer in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, adding a new arm to one of the most injury-ravaged units in baseball. Going back to the Reds is 2024 13th-round pick Mike Villani.

Reliever Evan Phillips was also placed on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move.

Per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, Díaz is not expected to report to the Dodgers immediately, meaning he will likely remain in the minor leagues for now.

Alexis Díaz is a reclamation project for the Dodgers

The trade would have been a bigger story two years ago. 

After 2023, Díaz, the younger brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, was coming off his first career All-Star season and held a 2.47 ERA in 131 career innings with 47 saves and 169 strikeouts. With a mid-90s fastball and one of baseball’s better sliders, he looked like one of MLB’s best young relievers.

Unfortunately, relievers can go from All-Star to out of the big leagues rather quickly. Díaz disappointed in 2024 with a 3.99 ERA, then missed the start of 2025 due to a hamstring strain. When he came back in mid-April, he was unusable, allowing eight earned runs in six innings before Cincinnati demoted him to Triple-A, where he now holds a 4.61 ERA. 

What went wrong? Well, Díaz’s slider went from being a pitch batters were posting a .153 batting average and .225 slugging percentage against in 2023 to .385 and 1.000 this year. Even last season was a warning sign as well, as he went from a 30.1% strikeout rate in 2023 to 22.7% in 2024 to 9.1% in 2025. He just doesn’t have an out pitch now.

And now, the Reds are giving up on him putting it back together, trading him away for a minor leaguer in Villani who has pitched two career innings in affiliated ball.

The Dodgers just need arms now, though

While stories like Díaz’s often require some tinkering with the new team before he hits the big-league mound, the Dodgers could seemingly use any reliever available these days.

The Dodgers bullpen was supposed to be one of the best in baseball after they signed Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates to more than $100 million in contracts, with Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips still on the roster, but all of those relievers are on the IL right now save for Scott, who is having his own issues.

Scott has blown five saves already this season and had perhaps his worst outing yet on Wednesday, when he blew a two-run lead and was eventually saddled with four earned runs in a loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

As a unit, the Dodgers bullpen currently ranks 17th in MLB with a 3.98 ERA (and first in innings with 239 2/3, as their rotation hasn’t been great either). They’ve been regularly cycling through low-leverage relievers, so if Díaz looks at all usable, they will probably use him, especially with him already holding a 40-man roster spot.

Relievers in Díaz’s position have found success with the Dodgers before, so it’s hard to count him out here.

Neither Alexis Díaz nor the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen have met expectations this year, but the team is about to see if a marriage can work.

The defending champions acquired the former All-Star closer in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, adding a new arm to one of the most injury-ravaged units in baseball. Going back to the Reds is 2024 13th-round pick Mike Villani.

Reliever Evan Phillips was also placed on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move.

Per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, Díaz is not expected to report to the Dodgers immediately, meaning he will likely remain in the minor leagues for now.

Alexis Díaz is a reclamation project for the Dodgers

The trade would have been a bigger story two years ago. 

After 2023, Díaz, the younger brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, was coming off his first career All-Star season and held a 2.47 ERA in 131 career innings with 47 saves and 169 strikeouts. With a mid-90s fastball and one of baseball’s better sliders, he looked like one of MLB’s best young relievers.

Unfortunately, relievers can go from All-Star to out of the big leagues rather quickly. Díaz disappointed in 2024 with a 3.99 ERA, then missed the start of 2025 due to a hamstring strain. When he came back in mid-April, he was unusable, allowing eight earned runs in six innings before Cincinnati demoted him to Triple-A, where he now holds a 4.61 ERA. 

What went wrong? Well, Díaz’s slider went from being a pitch batters were posting a .153 batting average and .225 slugging percentage against in 2023 to .385 and 1.000 this year. Even last season was a warning sign as well, as he went from a 30.1% strikeout rate in 2023 to 22.7% in 2024 to 9.1% in 2025. He just doesn’t have an out pitch now.

And now, the Reds are giving up on him putting it back together, trading him away for a minor leaguer in Villani who has pitched two career innings in affiliated ball.

The Dodgers just need arms now, though

While stories like Díaz’s often require some tinkering with the new team before he hits the big-league mound, the Dodgers could seemingly use any reliever available these days.

The Dodgers bullpen was supposed to be one of the best in baseball after they signed Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates to more than $100 million in contracts, with Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips still on the roster, but all of those relievers are on the IL right now save for Scott, who is having his own issues.

Scott has blown five saves already this season and had perhaps his worst outing yet on Wednesday, when he blew a two-run lead and was eventually saddled with four earned runs in a loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

As a unit, the Dodgers bullpen currently ranks 17th in MLB with a 3.98 ERA (and first in innings with 239 2/3, as their rotation hasn’t been great either). They’ve been regularly cycling through low-leverage relievers, so if Díaz looks at all usable, they will probably use him, especially with him already holding a 40-man roster spot.

Relievers in Díaz’s position have found success with the Dodgers before, so it’s hard to count him out here.

Two years ago, Alexis Díaz was an All-Star closer with the Cincinnati Reds.

Now, the 28-year-old right-hander is set to become a Dodgers reclamation project.

Amid a wave of early-season injuries to their bullpen and rotation, the Dodgers agreed to acquire Díaz from the Reds on Thursday, the team announced.

Díaz, who was demoted to triple-A earlier this month by the Reds, won’t be joining the Dodgers’ big-league roster right away. He will instead report to Arizona to work with the Dodgers’ pitching group there.

Read more:‘A major league shortstop, on a championship club.’ Why Dodgers don’t plan to move Mookie Betts

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred injured reliever Evan Phillips (who was initially expected to only miss 15 days with a forearm injury) to the 60-day IL.

Once a rising relief star who had a 1.84 ERA as a rookie in 2022, and 37 saves and a 3.07 earned-run average as an All-Star selection in 2023, Díaz has faded over the past two seasons.

In 2024, he was 28 of 32 in save opportunities, but posted a 3.99 ERA with 31 walks in 56 1/3 innings.

This season, he lost the closer’s job while battling a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the start of the season, then was optioned to triple-A after giving up eight runs, eight hits, four homers and five walks in his first six appearances. Five of the runs, and three of the homers, came in a single outing against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 30, the day before he was sent down.

Díaz, the brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, hasn’t experienced much greater success in the minors, holding a 4.61 ERA with 12 walks in 13 2/3 innings with the Reds’ Louisville affiliate.

Still, just two years removed from the early heights of his MLB career, the Dodgers were willing to take a flier on the once-promising talent, only giving up minor-league pitcher Mike Villani (a 13th-round pick in last year’s draft) in return.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.