Unhappy at his contract demands, Toronto FC trades winger Tyrese Spicer to Orlando
The 24-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, scored six goals and added two assists in 42 appearances across all competitions in his two seasons with Toronto.
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Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Edmonton Journal
ESPN pundit rips Raptors, plus what's next for Toronto this summer
The dog days of summer are upon us, but basketball never stops and the Toronto Raptors remain busy. Article content The team's Summer League stint in Las Vegas went well, with plenty of youngsters impressing in a strong run and the veterans, including Scottie Barnes — who recently turned 24 — also getting work in. Article content Last year, the team felt it got huge benefits from a mini-camp held in Spain, improving chemistry significantly, which helped during the tough stretches of a long, losing season — so they're doing it again. Article content Article content This time, Toronto's camp will be held in Madrid at the facilities of Real Madrid. Toronto and Real Madrid have met in pre-season matchups over the years and enjoy a strong relationship. Article content Article content Chus Mateo, who was Real Madrid's head coach until being dismissed last month, even joined Darko Rajakovic's coaching staff at Summer League last summer. Centre Bruno Fernando signed with the club after being cut by the Raptors last season, joining former Raptor Serge Ibaka, who also was on the roster. Article content The Raptors will mostly go their separate ways following the camp, before reuniting toward the end of September ahead of media day in Toronto and training camp in Calgary. The well-travelled organization also will visit British Columbia, California and the U.S. East Coast during the pre-season before Season 31 tips off. Article content According to ESPN insider Bobby Marks, a long-time front office member of the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, the Raptors helped contribute to the chilly restricted free agency market. Article content Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga, Chicago guard Josh Giddey, Nets wing Cam Thomas and Philadelphia guard Quentin Grimes have yet to come to terms with their existing clubs or new ones via offer sheets. Article content Marks posits that Toronto giving Quickley five years and close to $160 million (it was reported as up to $175 million) a year ago has 'totally screwed up restricted free agency,' Marks said on YouTube. Article content 'That's where (the other restricted free agents and their agents) are looking at as the benchmark. Article content 'That contract screwed up a lot of things, and that's why you can't use comps … I don't think Toronto got enough heat for that number because Immanuel Quickley is not a $32-33-million (a year) guy,' Marks said. Article content Article content Article content Toronto had seen Quickley as the centrepiece of its OG Anunoby deal with the New York Knicks (even though RJ Barrett had more of a pedigree and has actually improved more in Toronto, leading the team in scoring since arriving). The former sixth man of the year award runner-up brings a skillset no other Raptor possesses (elite pull-up three-point capabilities) and one that complements Barnes tremendously in theory (Quickley only played in 33 games this season and rarely was in at the same time as Barnes in his 38 2023-24 Raptors contests). Article content Toronto bet heavily on upside and fit with Quickley's deal and will need to rely on his staying on the court and the salary cap continuing to rise significantly for people to change their minds about the deal.
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Blue Jays banking on Louis Varland bringing power to bullpen - Sunday slip up aside
Trade deadline acquisition should be key piece for Toronto down the stretch and in the playoffs Get the latest from Rob Longley straight to your inbox Louis Varland delivers a pitch earlier this year while he was a member of the Minnesota Twins. Getty Images If there is a wildcard in the Blue Jays aspirations for the remaining two months of the season, it would seem as though it has nothing to do with regressing to that form of playoff qualification. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account No, the wildcard of interest at this point for the first-place team may be an under-the-radar trade deadline acquisition. As much as the marquee from a Toronto perspective was the deal with Cleveland that brought potential ace starter Shane Bieber here, a somewhat unheralded reliever from the Twins may be critical to the team's big October ambitions. Louis Varland, a hard-throwing 27-year-old righty, was acquired to be an influential (and much-needed) arm for the back end of a bullpen in need of some more shutdown sizzle. The upside is in his stuff, his attitude and his velocity. The downside is in the precarious world of being a big-league reliever, a reality Varland endured in Sunday's demoralizing loss to the Royals. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After recording two outs on just four pitches in his eighth-inning appearance, Varland allowed back-to-back hits enabling the visitors to tie the game on the way to a 7-4 extra-innings win that continued the Jays recent wobbles. That blip aside, the Jays believe they have an arm that can thrive in high-leverage situations, a big reason he was a focus of Toronto general manager Ross Atkins at last week's deadline. 'He's all business,' manager John Schneider said of his first impressions of Varland, who came here along with Ty France in a deal that sent Alan Roden and Kendry Rojas back to the Twin Cities. 'I love his demeanour. In conversation with him and with (pitching coach Pete Walker) and he's ready for anything. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There's no surprises. Velo. Curveball. And he's a really good athlete too. But I like his demeanour on the mound.' There were some flashes of that potential in Varland's initial appearance the day after the trade. Coming in during a blowout at the hands of the Royals (and unlike Sunday's stumble), Varland retired all three hitters and did so with confidence and apparent ease. That attacking mindset is what originally attracted Atkins to Varland, a pitcher the GM says has been on his radar for a couple of years. 'We were very aggressive in trying to acquire him,' Atkins said on trade deadline day. 'He has been very effective this year as a reliever. Has as good a fastball as you can find and as good of a curveball as you can find. He's extremely aggressive. He's coming after you and that's attractive to us. (He) immediately impacts our bullpen in a significant way.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It's clear that the Jays wanted — and needed — some back-of-the-bullpen power to team up with closer Jeff Hoffman and ideally the return to health and efficiency of Yimi Garcia. Based on his first full season in that role, Varland seems like he could be suited to the assignment. He certainly relishes the opportunity and employs a mound presence to match. 'First off, it's easier to get three outs rather than 15 to 21 outs (as a starter),' Varland said of his transition from starter to reliever. 'I changed some mechanical stuff to be more deceptive, so I think that's helped me get more outs. 'I handle (the late-game pressure) pretty well. At first I thought I'd get nervous, but I'm pretty calm out there, collected. Basically just throw your best pitches and stick to the game plan and things should normally work out. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I would say I'm a pitcher who goes right after hitters. It's not like I'm nitpicking certain areas, especially my fastball. I like the challenge of it.' Read More The hope from a Jays perspective is that Varland will be a potent fit late in games. Like many bullpens around the majors, the Toronto unit has been hard used to this point. And, looking forward, bullpens need to be high-octane heavy come playoff time. Varland said that in his initial conversations with Schneider and Walker, his new team has made it clear they are counting on the Saint Paul, Minn., native to be a key component. 'They want me here,' Varland said. 'They want to use me (in important) situations. We've got a really good team and the team just got better (at the deadline). 'So all hands on deck, let's do this thing. That's the common thread.' Columnists World Sunshine Girls Sex Files Toronto & GTA
National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
Blue Jays banking on Louis Varland bringing power to bullpen - Sunday slip up aside
If there is a wildcard in the Blue Jays aspirations for the remaining two months of the season, it would seem as though it has nothing to do with regressing to that form of playoff qualification. Article content No, the wildcard of interest at this point for the first-place team may be an under-the-radar trade deadline acquisition. Article content As much as the marquee from a Toronto perspective was the deal with Cleveland that brought potential ace starter Shane Bieber here, a somewhat unheralded reliever from the Twins may be critical to the team's big October ambitions. Article content Louis Varland, a hard-throwing 27-year-old righty, was acquired to be an influential (and much-needed) arm for the back end of a bullpen in need of some more shutdown sizzle. Article content The upside is in his stuff, his attitude and his velocity. Article content The downside is in the precarious world of being a big-league reliever, a reality Varland endured in Sunday's demoralizing loss to the Royals. Article content Article content After recording two outs on just four pitches in his eighth-inning appearance, Varland allowed back-to-back hits enabling the visitors to tie the game on the way to a 7-4 extra-innings win that continued the Jays recent wobbles. Article content That blip aside, the Jays believe they have an arm that can thrive in high-leverage situations, a big reason he was a focus of Toronto general manager Ross Atkins at last week's deadline. Article content 'He's all business,' manager John Schneider said of his first impressions of Varland, who came here along with Ty France in a deal that sent Alan Roden and Kendry Rojas back to the Twin Cities. 'I love his demeanour. In conversation with him and with (pitching coach Pete Walker) and he's ready for anything. Article content 'There's no surprises. Velo. Curveball. And he's a really good athlete too. But I like his demeanour on the mound.' Article content Article content There were some flashes of that potential in Varland's initial appearance the day after the trade. Coming in during a blowout at the hands of the Royals (and unlike Sunday's stumble), Varland retired all three hitters and did so with confidence and apparent ease. Article content That attacking mindset is what originally attracted Atkins to Varland, a pitcher the GM says has been on his radar for a couple of years. Article content 'We were very aggressive in trying to acquire him,' Atkins said on trade deadline day. 'He has been very effective this year as a reliever. Has as good a fastball as you can find and as good of a curveball as you can find. He's extremely aggressive. He's coming after you and that's attractive to us. (He) immediately impacts our bullpen in a significant way.' Article content It's clear that the Jays wanted — and needed — some back-of-the-bullpen power to team up with closer Jeff Hoffman and ideally the return to health and efficiency of Yimi Garcia. Article content Based on his first full season in that role, Varland seems like he could be suited to the assignment. He certainly relishes the opportunity and employs a mound presence to match. Article content 'First off, it's easier to get three outs rather than 15 to 21 outs (as a starter),' Varland said of his transition from starter to reliever. 'I changed some mechanical stuff to be more deceptive, so I think that's helped me get more outs. Article content 'I handle (the late-game pressure) pretty well. At first I thought I'd get nervous, but I'm pretty calm out there, collected. Basically just throw your best pitches and stick to the game plan and things should normally work out. Article content 'I would say I'm a pitcher who goes right after hitters. It's not like I'm nitpicking certain areas, especially my fastball. I like the challenge of it.' Article content The hope from a Jays perspective is that Varland will be a potent fit late in games. Like many bullpens around the majors, the Toronto unit has been hard used to this point. And, looking forward, bullpens need to be high-octane heavy come playoff time. Article content Varland said that in his initial conversations with Schneider and Walker, his new team has made it clear they are counting on the Saint Paul, Minn., native to be a key component. Article content 'They want me here,' Varland said. 'They want to use me (in important) situations. We've got a really good team and the team just got better (at the deadline).
