The following are the NFL transactions for Wednesday, July 7. This version includes waiver requests, assignments via waivers, terminations, free agent signings, reserve list and practice squad additions and deletions, and trades.
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TERMINATION VIA WAIVER SYSTEM |
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NEW YORK JETS |
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| Peters, Jordyn | DB | Auburn | |||
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*Indicates player’s accrued seasons at end of 2020 season. |
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The Toronto Blue Jays have made the following roster moves:
· RHP Trevor Richards has reported to the Major League team and will be active for tonight’s game.
Griffin Jax optioned to Triple-A St. Paul
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have returned right-handed pitcher Michael Pineda from rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 10-day Injured List.
Pineda, who has missed the Twins’ last 19 games with right elbow inflammation, made one rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul last Thursday against Omaha, pitching 4.0 innings with four hits allowed, three walks and one strikeout. Pineda has made 11 starts this season, going 3-4 with a 3.70 ERA (56.0 IP, 23 ER), 15 walks, 51 strikeouts, a .230 opponent batting average and a 1.14 WHIP.
To make room for Pineda on the 26-man roster, the Twins have optioned right-handed pitcher Griffin Jax to Triple-A St. Paul. Jax appeared in five games and made one start for the Twins, going 1-1 with an 8.66 ERA (17.2 IP, 17 ER), eight walks and 14 strikeouts. He earned his first career win on June 25 vs. Cleveland with 4.1 innings of relief.
MINNEAPOLIS – Prior to today’s series finale at Minnesota, the Chicago White Sox reinstated outfielder Adam Engel from the 10-day injured list and designated outfielder Adam Eaton for assignment.
Engel, 29, was placed on the injured list on June 22 for the second time this season with a strained right hamstring. He is batting .241 (7-29) with three home runs, four RBI and five runs scored over 10 games in 2021. Engel has hit all three of his homers over his last seven contests.
Eaton, 32, is hitting .201/.298/.344 (38-189) with eight doubles, two triples, five home runs, 28 RBI and 33 runs scored over 58 games this season in his second stint with the White Sox.
THREE HARD LAPS
* The Lightning return to AMALIE Arena with another chance to win their third Stanley Cup in franchise history – a place where they have averaged 4.09 goals per game played in the 2021 postseason.
* Tampa Bay has not lost consecutive games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since being swept by the Blue Jackets in the 2019 First Round – a streak spanning 47 contests.
* Nick Suzuki helped the OHL’s Guelph Storm overcome a 3-0 series deficit during the 2019 playoffs and looks to aid Montreal in doing the same when he takes to the ice in Game 5.
LIGHTNING RETURN TO AMALIE ARENA WITH CHANCE TO CLINCH AT HOME
The Lightning return home to AMALIE Arena with another opportunity to capture their second straight Stanley Cup after dropping Game 4 in overtime. Tampa Bay, without consecutive losses in the playoffs since the 2019 First Round, has recorded an NHL-leading eight home wins this postseason.
* A Stanley Cup-clinching win in Game 5 would mark the Lightning’s ninth victory at AMALIE Arena in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, tying the franchise mark for most in a single postseason first set in 2004 – a run that concluded with a 2-1 victory at St. Pete Times Forum over Calgary in Game 7 of the Final.
* Tampa Bay can become just the seventh franchise in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to have multiple Stanley Cup-clinching wins on home ice. Edmonton (4: 1984, 1985, 1987 & 1988), Montreal (3: 1968, 1979 & 1993), NY Islanders (3: 1980, 1981 & 1983), Detroit (2: 1997 & 2002), New Jersey (2: 1995 & 2003) and Los Angeles (2: 2012 & 2014) have all done so.
* The Lightning’s success at AMALIE Arena during this playoff run has also featured the club produce 4.09 goals per game played at home – the highest single-postseason total in franchise history. Since Tampa Bay skated in its inaugural season in 1992-93, only one Stanley Cup champion has generated a higher-such average on home ice in the playoffs: Colorado (4.36 GF/GP in 1996)
* Tampa Bay, which already has two series-clinching wins at AMALIE Arena in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs (R1 & SCSF), holds an all-time record of 14-6 (.700) when given the chance to close a series out on home ice. Just six franchises in the last 15 years have recorded at least three series-clinching wins on home ice in a single postseason: Anaheim (4 in 2007), Carolina (3 in 2006), Boston (3 in 2011 & 2013), Chicago (3 in 2013), Pittsburgh (3 in 2016), Nashville (3 in 2017) and St. Louis (3 in 2019).
DEFENDING CHAMPS HAVE MADE A HABIT OF BOUNCING BACK
The hopes of hoisting the third Stanley Cup in franchise history tonight will once again rely on Tampa Bay’s resiliency following a loss in the postseason. The Lightning have not lost consecutive games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since being swept by the Blue Jackets in the 2019 First Round – a streak spanning 47 contests.
* The Lightning were 4-2 in potential series-clinching contests during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs where they rebounded to close out the series in Game 6 after both aforementioned losses (CF & SCF). Since its first postseason berth in 1996, Tampa Bay has only dropped consecutive games in which it could clinch a series three times: 2018 (Game 6 & Game 7 of CF vs. WSH), 2016 (Game 6 & Game 7 of CF vs. PIT) and 2015 (Game 4 & Game 5 of R2 vs. MTL).
* Andrei Vasilevskiy, the lone Lightning goaltender to mind the crease through all 47 of those contests, has benefited from that stretch and stands as the NHL’s only netminder with more than 20 playoff wins since 2020 (33-14). In fact, Vasilevskiy owns a career record of 17-7 following a postseason loss (2.06 GAA, .926 SV%, 4 SO).
* Overall, Vasilevskiy is 6-0 immediately following a loss in the 2021 postseason, including three shutouts. He can register seven such wins in a single postseason for the second time in as many years (also 7-0 in 2020).
CANADIENS LOOK TO STAVE OF ELIMINATION . . . AGAIN
The Canadiens will look to keep their season alive with another win to avoid elimination, after taking their first lead of the series in Game 4 and securing their sixth overtime victory of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs – tied for fifth most by a team in a single postseason in NHL history. While Tampa Bay has been dominant at home, Montreal has successfully played spoiler as the visitor throughout its playoff run.
* Montreal has seven road wins in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, tied with Tampa Bay for the most among all teams. The Canadiens have the opportunity to establish a franchise record for most wins as visitors in a single postseason with a win tonight in Game 5 at AMALIE Arena, which would surpass their mark in 1989 (7).
* The Canadiens look to win consecutive games when facing elimination in the Stanley Cup Final for the fourth time in franchise history, doing so in 1971 (Game 6 & Game 7 vs. CHI), 1954 (Game 5 & Game 6 vs. DET) and 1931 (Game 4 & Game 5 vs. CHI). Montreal went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1971 and 1931, but has never won three straight contests when facing elimination in the Final.
* Overall, Montreal has won four straight games when facing elimination in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, after battling back from a 3-1 deficit in the opening round against Toronto (Game 5, Game 6 & Game 7 of R1 and Game 4 of SCF).
WILL THE STANLEY CUP FINAL GO TO GAME 6?
* Three teams in NHL history have rallied from a 3-0 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Final to force a Game 6: 2012 Devils (4-2 L), 1945 Red Wings (4-3 L) and 1942 Maple Leafs (4-3 W). Toronto’s comeback remains the only instance in the history of the NHL, NBA or MLB in which a team overcame a 3-0 series deficit in a best-of-seven in the final series to win a championship.
* The 2021 Stanley Cup Final is the third time in which Tampa Bay has taken a 3-0 series lead against Montreal, with the Canadiens avoiding a sweep for the second time (also 2015 R2). During the 2015 Second Round, Carey Price (24 saves) helped Montreal win Game 5 before Nikita Kucherov’s second career three-point outing helped Tampa Bay advance to the Conference Finals in Game 6.
GOODROW, COLEMAN, SUZUKI LOOK TO EXTEND FINAL POINT STREAKS
Barclay Goodrow, Blake Coleman and Nick Suzuki each factored on their team’s first goal of the game on Monday to extend their respective Stanley Cup Final point streaks:
* Goodrow (1-3—4 in 4 GP) and Coleman (2-2—4 in 4 GP) have both found the score sheet in each game of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, marking the longest playoff point streaks of their careers. Only two Lightning players have recorded longer such runs in the Stanley Cup Final: Nikita Kucherov (1-7—8) and Brayden Point (5-3—8) each posted five-game stretches in 2020.
* Suzuki (2-1—3 in 3 GP), who became the youngest player in franchise history to record a point in three straight games during a Stanley Cup Final series on Monday, aims to become the seventh different Canadiens player, of any age, in 50 years to record a point in four consecutive games within a Stanley Cup Final.
* Suzuki is also no stranger to overcoming a 3-0 series deficit. The forward was an instrumental part of the Guelph Storm besting the top-seeded London Knights in the Second Round of the 2019 OHL Playoffs after falling behind 3-0. After that comeback, he also helped the club erase 3-1 and 2-0 series deficits in the Western Conference Championship series and OHL Championship series, respectively. Suzuki concluded that playoff run with a single-season franchise record 42 points (16-26—42 in 24 GP) before hoisting the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champion and earning the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as playoff MVP.
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves:
Recalled OF Stuart Fairchild (No. 63) from Triple-A Reno.
Will be making his Major League debut.
Was hitting .328 (21-for-64)/1.083 OPS with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs and 18 RBI in 17 games with the Aces this season.
Acquired from Reds with INF Josh VanMeter on Aug. 31, 2020 for RHP Archie Bradley and cash considerations.
Activated RHP Jordan Weems (No. 41).
Optioned OF Nick Heath to Reno.
MINNEAPOLIS – Prior to tonight’s game at Minnesota, the Chicago White Sox placed catcher Yasmani Grandal on the 10-day injured list with a torn tendon in his left knee and recalled catcher Seby Zavala from Class AAA Charlotte.
Grandal, 32, left last night’s game during his sixth-inning at-bat. He is expected to miss approximately 4-6 weeks before returning.
Grandal is hitting .188 (34-181) with 14 home runs, 38 RBI, 60 walks and a .388 on-base percentage in 63 games this season, his second with Chicago.
Zavala, 27, is hitting .178 (21-118) with four doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI in 33 games with Charlotte. He made his major-league debut with the White Sox in 2019, going 1-12 (.083) in five games.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled left-handed pitcher Garrett Cleavinger and placed left-handed pitcher Victor González on the 10-day injured list with left plantar fasciitis.
Cleavinger, 27, returns for his fourth stint with the club after being optioned last night. On the season, he is 2-3 with a 2.03 ERA (3 ER/13.1 IP) and 15 strikeouts in 15 games. He was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in the three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays and Phillies on December 20, 2020. He was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2015 First Year Player Draft by the Phillies out of the University of Oregon.
González, 25, has appeared in 36 games for the Dodgers posting a 3-1 record with a 2.57 ERA (8 ER/28.0 IP) and 26 strikeouts against 15 walks. He suffered his first career loss last night after beginning his Major League career with a 6-0 record. In two seasons with the Dodgers, he is 6-1 with a 2.05 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 48.1 Innings. He was originally signed as an international free agent on July 2, 2012 by the Dodgers.
The Pirates have placed outfielder Gregory Polanco on the 10-day injured list with a Bilateral Adductor Strain.
In addition, infielder/outfielder Phillip Evans has been placed on the 7-day concussion I.L.
Infielder Rodolfo Castro has been recalled from Double-A Altoona and infielder Cole Tucker has been recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.
This will be Castro’s second stint with the Pirates this season. He made his Major League debut in game 2 of the doubleheader in Detroit on 4/31; started at third base and went hitless in three at bats.
In 49 games with Altoona, the 22-year-old Castro hit .306 (59-for-193) with 11 HR & 40 RBI. Coming into today, Castro was tied for seventh in home runs and tied for fourth in the Double-A Northeast League in RBI. He also ranked fourth in hits and second in total bases (106).
During the month of June, Castro tallied 26 RBI while hitting .363 (33-for-91) with seven doubles, seven homers, 26 RBI and a 1.054 OPS; his 26 RBI were tied for the eighth-most in MILB.
Castro made 32 starts at third base and 17 at second base while playing with Altoona.
He will be wearing uniform #64.
Tucker is in his second stint with the Pirates this season. He went 2-for-15 in eight games (three starts at shortstop) from 5/21 thru 6/5.
In 30 games with Indianapolis this season, Tucker hit .214 (24-for-112) with 2 HR and 10 RBI.
Tucker will be wearing uniform #3
The Toronto Blue Jays have reinstated RHP Thomas Hatch from the 60-day injured list (right elbow impingement) and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo. To make room on the 40-man roster, LHP Ryan Borucki has been transferred to the 60-day injured list (left forearm flexor strain).
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