Daulton Varsho returns for Blue Jays, while concussion sends George Springer to IL
For starters, outfielder Daulton Varsho has returned from a lengthy 52-game stint on the injured list due to a hamstring strain and was activated for Friday's series opener at the Rogers Centre.
As well, right-handed reliever Louis Varland — who was acquired just prior to Thursday's Major League Baseball trade deadline — has made it to the downtown dome and will be active for Friday's contest.
On the downside, after taking a pitch to the head in Baltimore, George Springer has been diagnosed with a concussion and has been placed on the seven-day injured list, retroactive to July 29.
On some levels, it will be a relief for Jays players to have the deadline behind them, knowing that the roster basically is set for the final two months of the regular season.
The return of Varsho, a popular teammate and an elite centre fielder, also is a huge injection into the clubhouse and has the possibility of feeling like another trade-deadline acquisition.
The Jays certainly will be looking to resume their recent hot run that has seen them sprint out to a 64-46 record and first place in the American League East, 3.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees.
Blue Jays make late deal with Twins for reliever Louis Varland and first baseman Ty France
Did Blue Jays do enough at trade deadline? It's in Shane Bieber's right hand now
General manager Ross Atkins believes the influx of new players at the deadline will fill some needs for the team as they look to cement home-field advantage and a first-round bye for the post-season.
The biggest of the deadline acquisitions, right-handed starter Shane Bieber, also made it to Toronto on Friday and had a busy afternoon schedule discussing what his next step will be as he continues to rehab from last year's Tommy John surgery.
Also on hand is first baseman Ty France, who came to the Jays with Varland, in the deadline day deal with the Minnesota Twins.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Comparables for Oilers prospect Ike Howard offer encouragement for the future
The newest impact prospect on the Edmonton Oilers depth chart is winger Ike Howard. Acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning for prospect centre Sam O'Reilly, fans of the team have been projecting the youngster's boxcar numbers in the NHL for 2025-26. It's a difficult projection. Unlike fellow rookie Matt Savoie, who has a full season of pro hockey behind him (plus a few games with the Oilers a year ago), Howard has no professional track record. Advertisement One of the ways we can predict future production is by using players who delivered similar results in the same league at the same age in previous seasons. Since Howard's primary skill is as a goal scorer, it's best to look at players his age (20 a year ago) who played in the same league (Big Ten) and posted similar shot volume, shooting percentages and overall totals. I'm using a 10-year window. There is no clear comparable for Howard, owing to the fact that most impact college scorers turn pro before their age-20 seasons. The Lightning were eager to sign him, but the two sides couldn't come to an agreement. His resume (impact player at World Juniors, Hobey Baker winner) is impressive, and his numbers in the Big Ten during his 20-year-old season are top drawer. Thus, the problem in finding a perfect comparable. There are three. Howard and Jimmy Snuggerud have a lot in common based on math. Both men were drafted in the first round in 2022 and have similar scoring and volume numbers. Both played in the Big Ten in the same season. Snuggerud scored 20-plus goals in three consecutive seasons, while Howard only had one. However, Howard's points per game were superior in both of his Big Ten years. Both men will hit the ice as NHL rookies next year. Snuggerud did play for the St. Louis Blues during the regular season (1-3-4 in seven games) and the playoffs (2-2-4 in seven games); an encouraging early indication about a possible future for Howard. Matt Coronato is well-known to Oilers fans, as he has established himself as one of the best young Calgary Flames players over the last 18 months. Coronato scored sparingly at age 21 in the NHL (3-6-9 in 34 games) before blossoming as a scorer (24-23-47 in 77 games) at age 22. In his age-21 season, Coronato was over a point per game in the AHL. If Howard takes the same route to the NHL and has similar success, the organization should consider the trade a success. Advertisement Adam Gaudette played his 20-year-old college season for Northeastern (Hockey East) in 2016-17, which is a hockey lifetime ago. However, he's an interesting comparable for two reasons: the comps are close, and we have over 300 NHL games of progress to digest as it pertains to a possible future for Howard. Gaudette has taken the long way to NHL success, but found it last year with the Ottawa Senators. His 19 goals in 2024-25 represent a career high and serve as a reminder that goal scorers get more chances than any other player type. It's the hardest thing to do in hockey. Every prospect's deployment is unique, and it can have an enormous impact on performance. When Snuggerud arrived in the NHL, he played on a line with Oskar Sundqvist and Zack Bolduc. By the playoffs, his most common linemates were Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich. Skill flourishes with skill, and the Blues found Snuggerud a spot where he could succeed. There should be no surprise that it was on a skill line, at or near the top of the depth chart. The Oilers' situation and the opportunity Howard is about to step into will be similar this fall. There's every chance Howard will start on a depth line, as the coaching staff looks to get a feel for what Howard can do on the ice (with and without the puck). A player like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Adam Henrique may serve as his centre and mentor the young winger through the early weeks of his NHL career. When projecting Howard, it's impossible to ignore the possibility that one of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl emerges as the centre on his line. If that happens, comparables take a powder, and we're in uncharted territory. Getting 'the push' has been a decade-long experience for wingers who arrive in Edmonton. Trades are made, fringe wingers arrive, and not long after, Pat Maroon is signing a contract for more money than anyone thought possible. The list of wingers helped along the way by both McDavid and Draisaitl is long and impressive. Maroon, Zack Kassian, Jesse Puljujarvi, Kailer Yamamoto, Ty Rattie, Alex Chiasson, James Neal, Evander Kane, Warren Foegele and many others have benefited over the years. After the Puljujarvi and Yamamoto experience, the organization faded rookies and players with a lack of experience as skill wingers. However, with Howard's arrival and the exits of several veterans, the opportunity is there. Advertisement The best comparable for Howard is Snuggerud. He doesn't give us much runway in projecting an NHL career for Howard, but even in a small sample, there was success. Coronato is also encouraging; he is a player who was a first-round selection, a famous college product and now a successful young NHL winger with a quality future in Calgary. Oilers general manager Stan Bowman made the deal for Howard in order to speed up the timeline and secure a plug-and-play option. In the past, that has hurt the Oilers, with names like Puljujarvi and Griffin Reinhart getting the push from management at the detriment of the team. It's unlikely that will be the case with Howard. He will arrive in Edmonton to a great deal of fanfare and anticipation. However, this version of the Oilers possesses enough skill to cover for the young winger if he needs some time in Bakersfield this fall and winter. Howard's comparables are quality. He could exceed all of them, but there is no guarantee of immediate success. If he delivers a strong rookie season, chances are it will be in a complementary role with an impact centre leading the way.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Royals at Red Sox prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 5
Its Tuesday, August 5 and the Royals (56-57) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (63-51). Ryan Bergert is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Garrett Crochet for Boston. The Red Sox continued their run of good play winning their sixth straight with an 8-5 win last night to open the series. Jarren Duran ripped his twelfth home run of the season and drove in three to pace the attack. Brayan Bello pitched six innings and allowed just one unearned run on the way to his eighth win of the season. Lets dive into Game 2 of the series and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Royals at Red Sox Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025 Time: 7:10PM EST Site: Fenway Park City: Boston, MA Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, NESN Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Royals at the Red Sox The latest odds as of Tuesday: Moneyline: Royals (+194), Red Sox (-239) Spread: Red Sox -1.5 Total: 8.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Red Sox Pitching matchup for August 5, 2025: Ryan Bergert vs. Garrett Crochet Royals: Ryan Bergert (1-0, 2.78 ERA)Last outing: July 29 vs. Mets - 2.25 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts Red Sox: Garrett Crochet (12-4, 2.23 ERA)Last outing: July 26 vs. Dodgers - 3.00 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 10 Strikeouts Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type! Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Red Sox The Red Sox have won 6 straight home games The Under is 30-26-1 in the Royals' road games this season The Red Sox have covered in their last 3 games against the Royals Garrett Crochet has struck out 9 or more hitters in 4 of his last 6 starts Trevor Story has hit safely in 6 straight games (10-21) If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Expert picks & predictions for tonight's game between the Royals and the Red Sox Rotoworld Best Bet Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Royals and the Red Sox: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Yahoo
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Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: It may be a tough call, but is it time to sell high on Nick Kurtz?
This is the final 2025 edition of Trade Tips, as the default trade deadline in Yahoo fantasy baseball leagues is just two days away. I would like to thank those who were loyal readers this year, especially those who took the time to ask me trade questions on Twitter. If anyone is contemplating a last-minute deal, feel free to send your ideas to @FredZinkieMLB between now and Thursday, and I'll do my best to respond quickly. Before we get into specific names, I'll offer one piece of big-picture advice. For the final weeks of the season, I would rather have an ace than a stud hitter. With fantasy football season looming and many fantasy baseball managers out of the race, interest in the waiver wire will inevitably wane. Active managers will be able to stream hitters, as many players will receive a bump in playing time when injuries occur and teams start playing for 2026. It's harder to find replacement starters, as most hurlers who join rotations down the stretch have limited skill sets. Every situation is unique, but in a vacuum, I'm willing to trade my top hitters for the likes of Tarik Skubal, Zack Wheeler or Garrett Crochet. Alternatively, I would be happy to trade a good hitter for a lower tier ace such as Christopher Sanchez or Tyler Glasnow. Now, here are several players who should be part of many last-minute trades. Sell High Seth Lugo, SP, Kansas City Royals: Lugo may continue to excel, as Kauffman Stadium fits well with his skill set. But there is no debate that he has dramatically outperformed expectations this year, thanks to a .248 BABIP and an 86.2% strand rate. He's an average mixed-league starter with poor swing-and-miss abilities who may be overvalued on the trade market. Shota Imanaga, SP, Chicago Cubs: Although Imanaga has faltered of late (10 ER in 8 IP in his past two starts), he has still pitched well enough this year (3.25 ERA, 1.04 WHIP) to warrant a significant return on the trade market. I worry about the left-hander's ability to maintain a .226 BABIP and 86.7% strand rate, which would cause me to put him on the trade market right away. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics: I hesitate to put Kurtz in this article, because I really believe in him. But the rookie has played at an unsustainable level lately, posting a 1.364 OPS since July 1. I wouldn't be eager to trade Kurtz, but if I had multiple holes in my lineup, I would be open to finding out if anyone in my league would give a Godfather offer for arguably baseball's most exciting youngster. Some managers will be willing to package an excellent hitter and pitcher to acquire him. Buy Low Juan Soto, OF, New York Mets: Soto has been good (25 HR, 16 SB, .250 BA) during his initial season with the Mets, but he has the potential to make a much bigger impact down the stretch. His expected stats are through the roof, as his .303 xBA is 53 points higher than his actual marks and his .625 xSLG places fourth behind Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Schwarber. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Dylan Cease, SP, San Diego Padres: Since this is the last trade article of the season, I'll mention Cease one more time. The right-hander has been infuriating this year, but he has also been one of the unluckiest pitchers in baseball, as is evidenced by his .323 BABIP and a 68.5% strand rate. With an 11.6 K/9 rate, Cease has elite upside, and he is now backed by an improved lineup and arguably the best relief corps in baseball. He's the type of pitcher who can help a team to rise up the standings quickly. Cole Ragans, SP, Kansas City Royals: Ragans should be especially easy to acquire. After all, he's injured and his 2025 numbers (5.18 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) aren't very good. I see the southpaw as one of baseball's most talented starters, and his 2.68 xERA suggests that I'm right. Ragans should return from a strained rotator cuff by the end of the month, and we saw at that the MLB trade deadline that the Royals aren't waving the white flag. He could be a league-winner for those in head-to-head leagues. Sell Low Mookie Betts (2B/SS/OF), Los Angeles Dodgers: Betts has been consistently underwhelming this season. His .231 average and .657 OPS are easily career-worst marks, and he hasn't made much of an impact in the homer (11) and steal (8) fantasy categories. In fact, Betts has been the 213th fantasy asset in Yahoo roto rankings, which is a far cry from what was expected when he was selected in the first or second round of drafts. The 8-time All-Star still carries plenty of name value, as is evidenced by some recent deals that can be view on the Yahoo Trade Market page. The best plan for Betts managers is to move him now and give him a fresh start next year.
