July 2025

There were 1,817 posts published in July 2025 (this is page 6 of 182).

Carlos Mendoza on Mets’ trade for Tyler Rogers: ‘We got better as a team’

The Mets may have dropped Wednesday’s game to the Padres, but the talk was of the newest acquisition to the bullpen, Tyler Rogers.

New York traded for the Giants reliever earlier in the day, adding an impactful arm to a relief corps that needed it.

“I like it, we got better as a team,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of the trade after the game. “We just faced him the other day, he’s pretty tough on righties and lefties. Gives you a different look, a guy that throws strikes and is pretty durable. He’s been healthy and takes the ball. Again, we got better.”

Last weekend, Rogers allowed just one hit and struck out two batters in his two innings of work against the Mets, and the players haven’t forgotten going up against the submariner.

“He’s a good arm. Faced him many times. He’s gotten me out many times,” Francisco Lindor said of Rogers. “From what I heard around the league, he’s a good guy, good person and someone who is going to pitch in big situations. It’s something that is going to help us.”

“He’s got good pitches,” Francisco Alvarez said. “He’s a good pitcher, thank God he’s now on our side and we don’t have to face him anymore.”

Although the Mets are gaining a reliever, they lose one as well. Jose Butto was part of a package sent to the Giants for Rogers. The young right-hander found out about the deal during the game and was able to say his goodbyes to his teammates. When asked about Butto’s contributions to the team, Mendoza had nothing but a glowing review.

“It’s a tough one there, especially going down like that in the middle of the game,” Mendoza said. “Nothing but great things to say about him. His ability to take the ball, we used him in a lot of different roles. Great teammate, great human. We’re going to miss him. It’s a business, we all understand that. He’s going to help that team, too. He’s getting a great opportunity here and I’m pretty sure he’s going to impact that team as well.”

Rogers was just the first name that David Stearns will add to the Mets’ bullpen. A few hours later, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley was acquired, giving the Mets a power-packed bullpen for a postseason run. Rogers and Helsley join a bullpen that already had Edwin Diaz, Ryne Stanek, Gregory Soto, Reed Garrett and Brooks Raley.

Mendoza raved about how Rogers benefits his bullpen and gives him more flexibility every day.

“When we’re facing some of the best teams with elite bullpens, they have a lot of different looks. This adds to it,” he said. “You have two lefties with different pitch mix, a lot of righties and now you talk about a guy who throws from that angle, who can get either hand out. It allows me to have more flexibility, matchup, be more aggressive when I need to. It makes our unit a lot deeper back there.”

After an off day on Thursday, the Mets will activate Rogers when they host, ironically enough, the Giants for a three-game set.

Robert Kraft, Mike Vrabel show support to NFL League Office after tragic shooting

FOXBOROUGH — Before the start of Wednesday’s practice, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel took a moment to address the tragic shooting that occurred on Monday in a Manhattan office that includes the NFL headquarters.

“Real quick, before we get started. Just the cadence of this thing, I hadn’t talked to you guys yesterday. I want to just send our thoughts and prayers to the League office,” Vrabel said. “Been in that building, I’ve got a lot of friends in that building, and so I just want to make sure that on behalf of our football team, our players, our staff, everybody here, that they know that we’re thinking about them.”

Patriots owner Robert Kraft also took a moment to talk about this during an appearance on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams.

“We’re all excited because the beginning of training camp and this week we started in pads, and I’ve been looking forward to this for months. And to have what we had happen in New York, it was so sad,” Kraft said. “And when you look, there’s (NYPD officer Didarul Islam), who came from Bangladesh. A good Muslim man who has two kids… His wife is pregnant, and he gets killed. It just creates a whole seriousness.”

“We’re trying to, with our Blue Square Foundation, push back on this and preach love,” Kraft added, mentioning his “Stand Up Against Hate” campaign he began in 2019. “And of course, what the NFL represents, bringing communities together, people of all backgrounds rooting for their team. I know how people are excited about our team, and then we have this dampener because we have a man who’s mentally ill come in with a rifle and do what he did and kill innocent people.

“We live in the greatest country in the world,” Kraft concluded. “We got to stop that from happening.”

On Monday, a gunman killed a New York City police officer and three other people before taking his own life, the Associated Press reported. The gunman was identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura from Las Vegas, and it was determined he was targeting the NFL headquarters, but entered the wrong elevator. Specifically, a three-page note found in his wallet “suggested he had a grievance against the NFL over a claim that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy.”

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots show support to NFL League Office after tragic shooting

West Ham fight back to earn friendly win over Everton

West Ham fight back to earn friendly win over Everton

West Ham came from behind to earn a 2–1 victory over Everton in a lively preseason friendly at Soldier Field.

Scorers: Gueye 17′ ; Paquetá 42′ Füllkrug 64′

Everton opened the scoring in the opening 20 minutes when Idrissa Gueye capitalised on a defensive error to slot home the opener.

Just before halftime, Lucas Paquetá equalised for West Ham after a mistake from Everton goalkeeper Mark Travers allowed him to level the match.

In the second half, West Ham looked the stronger side and found the winner just past the hour mark through Niclas Füllkrug, who fired home from the edge of the box.

The Hammers controlled much of the play as both sides made multiple substitutions for plenty of preseason rotation.

📸 Patrick McDermott – 2025 Getty Images

MLB Trade Deadline: Phillies acquire closer Jhoan Durán from Twins; roster impact and fantasy analysis

The first big domino of the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline fell on Wednesday night when the Twins traded their closer, Jhoan Durán, to the Phillies for RHP Mick Abel and catching prospect Eduardo Tait.

We know Durán is one of the premier closers in baseball, so what does this mean for the Phillies in 2025, and should Twins fans be happy with the return package?

What does Jhoan Durán bring to the Phillies?

A lights-out, lockdown reliever. The 27-year-old Durán has a career 2.47 ERA and 74 saves in 233.2 MLB innings. This season, he’s pitching to a 2.01 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 53/18 K/BB ratio in 40.1 innings while racking up 16 saves. He does have his lowest strikeout rate of his career, and his fastball velocity has dipped, but Durán is still averaging over 100.3 mph on the pitch. He pairs that with a dominant splitter that averaged 97.5 mph with a solid 15.7% swinging strike rate, and a curveball that he throws 21% of the time and has an impressive 17.6% swinging strike rate on its own.

In his career, Durán has allowed just a .193 batting average in high-leverage situations with a .273 slugging percentage and a 27% strikeout rate. Not only does he immediately give the Phillies one of the best late-inning arms in baseball, but he has two more years of team control. Durán is making $4.125 million this season and has two more years of arbitration before he becomes a free agent. While the Twins may have been concerned about how high his salary would rise in arbitration, a big market team like the Phillies has no such worries. Durán will immediately step into a closer role for them this season and likely for the next two seasons as well.

Who are Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait, and how do they fit with the Twins?

Mick Abel is the name that most people will recognize here. The 23-year-old was the 15th overall pick in the 2020 draft and made a real leap this season in Triple-A. There were some concerns about his elevated walk rate coming into this season, but he cut his walks from 5.16 BB/9 in 113.1 minor league innings last year to 3.89 BB/9 in 74 minor league innings this year. That’s a substantial improvement. He also posted a dominant enough statline at Triple-A (2.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 26.6% strikeout rate) that he worked his way into the Phillies’ rotation.

His overall numbers in six starts with the Phillies aren’t great, registering a 5.04 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 21/9 K/BB ratio in 25 innings; however, three of his six starts were relatively impressive. He has an above-average four-seam fastball that’s 96.2 mph with good extension and a solid approach angle that makes it a flat fastball that succeeds up in the zone. He posted an 81st percentile swinging strike rate on it during his six big league starts. He pairs that with a curveball that grades out as just average in pitch models, but posted a 16.7% swinging strike rate and well above average zone rates, and a slider that is a true below-average offering. Abel rounds out his pitch mix with a sinker he uses almost exclusively to righties and a show-me changeup that leaves a lot to be desired.

As he is right now, Abel is a solid middle-to-back-of-the-rotation arm without true strikeout upside. However, Minnesota has done a good job developing pitching talent over the last few years, getting career seasons out of Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez, and turning Zebby Matthews into a high-end pitching prospect. If they can get more out of Abel’s slider, there is another level of development here that could make him a good real-life second or third starter.

Eduardo Tait is the player in this deal many won’t know, but he’s the 56th-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, and was selected to this year’s Futures Game. The 18-year-old catching prospect is a bit of a lottery ticket upside because he’s hitting .255/.319/.434 in 82 games between Single-A and High-A with 11 home runs. He is raw defensively and may not be a catcher long-term, but he is a powerful hitter from the left side of the plate who has shown a solid contact profile this season. He makes a lot of hard contact, and if he can turn into even an average defender, that would be a huge win for the Phillies, considering the offensive upside that he could bring.

What is the fantasy impact of this trade?

We know Durán will slot in as the Phillies’ closer, and they have tended to use just one closer under manager Rob Thomson, so there may be no fireman role here for Durán, especially since the Phillies could use newly signed David Robertson for that purpose. Of course, that means any hopes of Robertson or Orion Kerkering registering saves in Philadelphia are pretty much out the window right now. Durán does get a slight bump in value though.

Even though Mick Abel is being sent to Triple-A, you’d have to expect he makes some starts for the Twins this season. It’s likely that the Twins already have some tweaks in mind for Abel’s approach or his grips, and they’d rather work on that with him in Triple-A than in the majors. Whether Abel gets innings with the Twins in August or September likely depends on the health of David Festa and Pablo Lopez. Right now, the Twins have one spot open in the rotation, with Pierson Ohl getting a crack at the job on Tuesday, so Lopez or Festa will take that spot if they’re healthy enough to return. If not, Abel could get some chances down the stretch and seems like a lock to open the 2026 season in the Twins’ rotation.

This also means that Andrew Painter is the sixth starter on the Phillies; although, that will likely become the seventh starter once Aaron Nola is back. It still feels unlikely Painter makes a major fantasy impact in 2025, but he should be considered a likely candidate to be in the Phillies’ rotation in 2026.

Tait is, obviously, much farther away; although, I guess this is a slight downgrade to his dynasty stock since he will eventually play for a (likely) worse offense and in a worse offensive environment. Still, it shouldn’t impact his value too much since he’s only 18 years old.

Final takeaways from the Jhoan Durán trade

Overall, this is not a bad return for the Twins. They got two players who are currently listed in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects, including one who can quickly join their rotation. However, considering the initial rumors were that the Twins were holding out for Andrew Painter, the Phillies’ top pitching prospect, it has to feel like a win for the Phillies that they were able to make this deal without trading away any of their top three prospects: Painter, outfielder Justin Crawford, and infielder Aidan Miller. Given how brutal the Phillies’ bullpen was in last year’s playoffs, this was a monumental move for them to make.

Brewers Facing Potential Season-Ending Injury Decision After Trade with Rays

Brewers Facing Potential Season-Ending Injury Decision After Trade with Rays originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Right-handed catcher William Contreras is in his third season with the Milwaukee Brewers, who acquired the star in a blockbuster three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics to the Atlanta Braves in December 2022.

Although Murphy has been solid for Atlanta, Contreras has emerged as an MVP candidate during his time in Milwaukee. He has collected a second All-Star appearance and two Silver Slugger awards with the Brewers while playing the best defense in the league.

Contreras is under team control for two more seasons and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2028.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24)Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In 2025, Contreras’s numbers have fallen off significantly from his first two years in Milwaukee. How much of that is due to the fact he is playing this season with a fractured left middle finger is unknown.

On Monday, the Brewers traded infield prospect Jadher Areinamo for right-handed catcher Danny Jansen from the Tampa Bay Rays. Jansen has crushed left-handed pitching this season. Jansen’s arrival likely means more days off for Contreras, but not an extended absence.

The organization has said if they were to place Contreras on the injured list, it would be for season-ending surgery.

With Jansen on an expiring contract this season, the Brewers are faced with a decision on what to do at catcher.

If they place Contreras on the injured list, they will be able to assess the value Jansen could bring in a full-time role. In 99 games this year, Contreras is batting .242 — his lowest average since 2021 — and has a .682 OPS, which would be the lowest mark of his career.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.

Bills’ Receiver Room ‘Gelling Together’ At Training Camp

Bills’ Receiver Room ‘Gelling Together’ At Training Camp originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Buffalo Bills’ offense is set to be one of the best in football heading into the new season, with Josh Allen steering the ship.

Set to again begin the year without a star No. 1 weapon, based on last year’s performance, we know Buffalo will be just fine, but the franchise did make a couple of moves this offseason with Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore coming to the Bills.

As training camp continues for Buffalo, how have the two new weapons acclimated to their surroundings? Khalil Shakir has liked what he’s seen.

“They’re great,” Shakir said. “E [Moore] is probably the strongest person I know from a mental standpoint, and he’s helped me out a lot with that. We’ll chop it up usually for like 15, 20 minutes after practice. Palm as well is a bigger dude, physical dude, always shows up ready. You got to tell him to slow down sometimes. He’s just ready to go. So, both those guys are ballers and we’re excited to have them, but they’re even better dudes off the field as well. You could talk to them about anything. That room is definitely gelling together.”

The Bills are expected to be at the pointy end of the Super Bowl conversation, and the offense is a big reason why.

With Mack Hollins and Amari Cooper out and Palmer and Moore in, the Bills, on paper at least, might have a better receiving unit than last year, especially if Keon Coleman takes the second-year leap many hope.

Getting everyone on the same page is crucial in the offseason, and yes, it is early, but signs appear to be promising for Moore and Palmer as both will no doubt be counted on in 2025.

Related: Bills Fan Favorite Predicted to be on Roster Hot Seat

Related: Bills’ 2025 Optimism High For 1 Reason

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.

For now, Stuart Sternberg says it’s business as usual running the Rays

NEW YORK — A deal reportedly is in place to sell the team for about $1.7 billion with a transfer of power at season’s end, but Stuart Sternberg said Wednesday he continues to run the Rays as he has for the previous 19 seasons.

“There’s a decent chance this will be the last go at it, but not necessarily,” Sternberg told the Tampa Bay Times at Yankee Stadium. “Even if it were, or I knew definitively, I still wouldn’t treat it any differently.”

The sale to a group led by Jacksonville developer Patrick Zalupski is set to close as soon as mid-September but with a provision for Sternberg to remain in charge until the Rays are done playing, whether that’s in the regular season or postseason, according to the Times and others.

“I’m a big believer (that) until things happen, they don’t happen,” Sternberg said. “And I just carry myself in a certain way.”

Sternberg declined, per a team statement in June, to discuss any specifics of the negotiations or sale.

But he made very clear that he does not have to check things, such as trade-deadline moves, with the prospective new owners and remains very much in charge.

“Singularly and ultimately,” he said. “No different than any other year.”

Sternberg, who attended games at Steinbrenner Field last week and several road series in the Northeast, said he hasn’t noticed a change in reception from people.

“Anybody who sees me, if they know, they’ll say something,” he said. “But I don’t see anybody acting differently.”

Sternberg said “there will be time for nostalgia,” but his focus remains on the field, such as being involved in the trade-deadline discussions.

If the deal does close and gets approved by Major League Baseball, Sternberg, having been on the wrong end of two World Series, would relish going out a winner.

“Any time we can sniff, let alone make the postseason, is incredibly rewarding,” he said. “Winning the final game is always the goal.”

Zalupski’s group includes several prominent Tampa Bay area investors, including Dan Doyle Jr., CEO of the Tampa-based office equipment company DEX Imaging; and lawyer Fred Ridley, who is chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament.

The group is seeking to get a new stadium built and is said to have a preference to do so on the Hillsborough County side of the market.

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Jets’ Braelon Allen Ready To ‘Set Tone’ For Offense

Jets’ Braelon Allen Ready To ‘Set Tone’ For Offense originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

One thing we know is that Aaron Glenn wants his New York Jets to be a physical football team, and for running back Braelon Allen, that’s right in his wheelhouse.

With the Jets set to adopt a run-first approach under Tanner Engstrand with a solid offensive line and a trio of running backs, all of whom possess the talent to be good contributors, New York won’t be pushed around.

For Allen, he will be entering his second year after a decent return in his rookie season, and don’t think he’s looking forward to putting defenders on the ground in 2025.

“He’s stressed since Day 1 back in the spring, physicality was number one,” Allen said. “And that’s going to be our identity. That starts up front and with the run game. So he’s relying on us to kind of set that tone. Him being a defensive-minded head coach, that kind of trickles over onto the offensive side as well.

“And that’s part of my game that’s already kind of instilled in me. So, nothing new.”

With the Jets set to lean heavily on the run game, Allen, along with Breece Hall and Isaiah Davis, will be tasked with setting the tone for Engstrand’s unit and also taking the pressure off quarterback Justin Fields.

Allen’s bruising style saw him take his opportunities when presented last year, and it feels like more will be put on his plate under Engstrand, which includes being a battering ram behind his offensive line.

Glenn wants to instill a tough mentality in his team, and Allen might just be the driving force for it in 2025.

Related: Jets’ Tyrod Taylor Noticing ‘Quieter’ Offseason

Related: Justin Fields OK for Now, But Remember This Is the Jets

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.

Chiefs’ Marquise Brown Feeling ‘More Prepared’ Entering Year 2 With Patrick Mahomes

Chiefs’ Marquise Brown Feeling ‘More Prepared’ Entering Year 2 With Patrick Mahomes originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Marquise Brown had a difficult first season with the AFC champs.

After a full preseason, Brown got injured in the first preseason game and was sidelined until Week 16, playing only a handful of games to end the year.

For a player coming to a new team and learning a new scheme, that is less than ideal, plus he had to develop chemistry with his teammates on the field, so that all played a role in his down year.

But now that he’s back with the Chiefs, Brown has again hit the ground running at training camp, and don’t think he hasn’t noticed the difference.

“I mean, a lot better,” Brown said. “Those guys played the whole season and me coming in, trying to catch up to speed. Coaches did a great job. But now, I feel a lot more prepared.”

Now, the hope is that Marquise can get through the preseason games, and then be a key weapon for Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in 2025.

Many are skeptical of Kansas City entering this season, largely due to concerns regarding the offensive line and the health of the receiver position. But those can be answered rather quickly in due time.

Having Brown and speed available in the passing game, plus the chemistry between him and Mahomes and what that could manifest itself into is a rather tantalizing prospect.

But we’ve been here before, and now Brown will be looking to make sure the injury bug stays away and that he can put together a full season as a Chief.

Related: Chiefs Predicted as ‘Virtual Postseason Lock’

Related: Chiefs Fans Suffer Unfortunate News on Friday

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.

Yankees blockbuster trade proposal brings Mason Miller to Bronx

The New York Yankees could be very busy at the trade deadline in search of relievers. Could they swing a blockbuster trade for a superstar reliever with club control?

Devin Williams was acquired to be a lockdown closer for the Yankees this season. However, he has been inconsistent and has not given the Yankees much reason to extend him or bring him back in free agency. The Athletics are reportedly listening to offers on Mason Miller, and FanSided’s Quinn Everts proposed this trade to bring him to the Yankees:

  • Yankees receive: RHP Mason Miller
  • Athletics receive: RHP Cam Schlittler, RHP Carlos Lagrange and 1B/C Rafael Flores

Miller is under club control through 2029 and already has an All-Star nod under his belt. He has a 3.76 ERA and 20 saves this season. He could push Williams out of the closer’s role this year and serve as the Yankees’ closer for years to come.

Miller is one of the best relievers in baseball, and his asking price is rightfully high. According to the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Athletics are looking for pitching. They have no obligation to trade Miller, but are at least listening to offers.

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“The Athletics, in their talks for closer Mason Miller, have focused on teams with top-end young pitching,” wrote Rosenthal. “But whether they find a club to meet their price remains to be seen.”

More MLB: Yankees make shocking roster decision after Austin Slater trade